Certificate of Recognition (COR)
What is a Certificate of Recognition?
Provincial governments, WCB and Industry representatives all joined together in 1999 to help come up with effective health and safety standards to proactively reduce injuries and the associated costs in the workplace.
In order to confirm that your company meets these standards a 3-year audit process was developed to independently review company safety programs using a SECOR, MECOR, or COR process.
What are the benefits of a COR?
- Demonstrating that your health and safety management system has been developed and is independently reviewed and evaluated on an annual basis
- Through interviews, documentation, and observations the auditor will be able to identify gaps and areas of strength in your program
- Many companies require a COR to be maintained in order to work for them
- COR offers immediate proof that you have an effective health and safety program giving you an edge over some competition
- In a situation where you must demonstrate that you have an active health and safety program a COR can be an asset of that proof
- Improves a company’s corporate image by displaying their commitment to the health and safety of their workers
- Contributes to building a strong safety culture
- Protecting the health and safety of your workers is the number one priority and a COR ensure your company stays on track to achieve that goal
- WCB Alberta has a Partnership in Injury Reduction that can reduce your WCB premiums by up to 20%
If you are looking to get a Certificate of Recognition, Insight Testing can guide you through the process, assess your program and, conduct your COR Audit.
If you are on a maintenance year, Insight can guide you through an internal audit helping you identify gaps to continue your improvement in health and safety.
- On a maintenance year, you may use an action plan, if you meet the criteria, instead of an internal audit.
- Not available in BC
To conduct an Action Plan or Corrective Action Report you must meet certain requirements depending on the certifying partner you have used.
| ESC Action Plan | AASP Corrective Action Report |
| Must have a current COR from ESC | Completed at least 2 certification audits |
| Must be in a maintenance year and completed 1 full cycle (Certification Audit followed by 2 maintenance audits) | Must have scored above 90% on last certification audit |
| Must obtain written approval from ESC | Must be in the first maintenance year |
| Must have scored 85% or higher on your last certification audit | Must have a certified internal AASP Auditor |
SECOR (Small Employer Certificate of Recognition)
- 10 or fewer employees
- Develop and maintain a Health and Safety Management System
- Insight can customize one to fit your companies needs
- Have 12 months worth of documentation to review
- You can get a 1-year SECOR if you have 3 months of documentation
- Perform and submit a self-assessment to the certifgying partner
- Such as Energy Safety Canada (ESC) or Alberta Association for Safety Partnerships (AASP)
- Insight is certified in both partners
- If you score a minimum of 80% overall and 50% in every element you will be awarded a Certificate of Recognition
- Such as Energy Safety Canada (ESC) or Alberta Association for Safety Partnerships (AASP)
MECOR (Medium Employer Certificate of Recognition)
- Designed to be a steppingstone between SECOR and COR for growing companies
- You must already have a SECOR or if you are new to the COR process, have 10-19 employees
- Year 1 – Achieved a SECOR with an external auditor
- Year 2 – Maintenance audit completed by an external auditor OR a trained internal auditor
- Must score a minimum of 50% to maintain the certificate
- Year 3 – Maintenance audit completed by an external auditor OR a trained internal auditor
- Must score a minimum of 70% to maintain the certificate
- Year 4 – Recertification year for a full COR audit (see below)
COR (Certificate of Recognition)
- For companies with 11 or more employees
- Must have 12 months worth of documentation available for review
- Must be completed by a trained external auditor (certification audit)
- Maintenance audits may be completed by a trained internal auditor or use an action plan (excluding BC)
- Must score 80% total and above 50% in every element to successfully achieve your Certificate of Recognition
Contact us today!
Insight can conduct your COR audits and assist you for your maintenance years.
We are here to help make the COR process as painless as possible.