A COR certificate is a document endorsing the correct management of occupational health and safety within a company.
Under its application process, companies are required to comply with physical and organizational improvements to reduce the risk of injury within their facilities.
The enforcement standards vary depending on the province where each company operates. In the case of Alberta, this certification is issued in conjunction with the government of Alberta
What is the process for obtaining a COR?
Contents
Choose the type of certification you need.
There are two versions of certificates where companies are classified according to their size.
SECOR: For small companies, with a maximum of 10 employees.
COR: The standard certificate for companies with more than 10 employees or more.
Develop a health and safety plan.
In thinking about certification, you should be interested in developing improvements in risk management in your company through an occupational health and safety plan supported by trained personnel in the area.
Special training is available for selected employees to help them identify risks, create strategies to minimize them and develop an efficient implementation plan.
At Think Safety Solutions, we offer a series of courses tailored to help train your safety department so that you can have the right employees to manage the risks of your daily operations.
Choose a certification partner
A certification partner is a company in charge of the administration of the COR. Through their services, you apply for certification in Alberta and, if you meet the requirements, it is awarded to you with the support of the government.
There are 13 certifying partners in Alberta and choosing the ideal one for your company is key. Therefore, certain factors must be considered, such as:
Industry sector.
Training location or training facilities.
Training services and safety plans offered.
Price of what they offer.
By considering and comparing each factor, the certification partner will be able to find the company that can provide the most benefits for you on your way to certification.
The certification partner’s involvement is key, since they are the ones who perform the audit to qualify your risk management system and issue the certificate application.
Request an audit
Once you have put in place risk management with a solid occupational health and safety plan, it is time to request an external audit with a qualified auditor. At this point, you must have all the documentation and reports to prove the implementation of your safety plan.
If you are looking for a SECOR, the procedure is different. The company performs a self-assessment of its security system which is reviewed by the certification partner.
Wait for the result and the certificate
The minimum score to pass the audit is 80% overall. This report is prepared by the auditor and sent to the certification partner who, in turn, is responsible for sending the application to the Alberta government to sign the COR.
What you should be aware of when auditing for a COR
There are several aspects you should know about the process of evaluating and obtaining a COR:
It can take more than 12 months to complete the entire process when starting from scratch, i.e. from the implementation of the security plan.
There is a maximum of 45 days to submit the audit report once the information gathering is completed.
The deadline may vary when additional information is required to correct the audit.
If the audit report is not submitted timely, its acceptance is lost and a new process must be carried out.
When the required qualification is not obtained, a new process must also be carried out.
In the months of October, November and December, the workload of the certification partners increases, and it is necessary to take this into account to avoid delays in their reporting.
Want to start improving your company's risk management? At Think Safety Solutions, we provide you with the knowledge you need
