Having a valid Alberta COR offers many advantages for both the employer and the employee. Other than lower ‘lost time’ and ‘disabling injury’ rates, advantages include increased morale and productivity, WCB incentives, injury and illness prevention and a competitive edge.
Increased Morale and Productivity.
Involving workers in Health and Safety initiatives such as when setting goals to achieve or maintain a COR, allows workers to feel valued by their employer. With workers promoting improved motivation and commitment an increase in productivity will be noticed. Many hidden costs such as worker training, worker experience and worker management of change will be mitigated with worker retention.
WCB Incentives.
A COR is essential to the WCB’s Partnerships in Injury Reduction Program (PIR) and is in place to help organizations lower WCB premiums. PIR encourages the voluntary implementation of the ten key elements of a COR program to allow COR holders to be eligible for WCB rebates of between five and twenty percent each year.
Injury and Illness Prevention.
Studies have shown those organizations that hold a valid Alberta COR have lower ‘lost time’ and lower ‘disabling injury’ rates than those organizations without a COR.
Competitive Edge.
COR is typically required during the bidding process of all the major industries in Alberta including oil and gas, forestry, construction and transportation sectors. Investing in a Health & Safety program allows for a competitive edge by showing potential clients the organizations commitment to its workers, its products and reputation.
Prior to being awarded with a COR your organization must have a Health & Safety management system (SMS) in place that meets Alberta standards and must typically have been implemented for one full year. Achieving a COR is a four-step process and includes:
Step one – Choose a ‘Certifying Partner’.
A certifying partner is an association that has an agreement with the Alberta government and provides an approved COR audit tool, certified external auditors, a quality assurance review of submitted COR audits and provide any applicable training such as that required for an internal COR auditor and co-sign COR.
There are twelve authorized Certifying Partners in Alberta and consideration must be given to ensure the correct Certifying Partner is the best fit for your organization.
Step two – Implementation of a Health & Safety Management System (SMS).
If your organization does not have an implemented Health & Safety Management System, your chosen Certifying Partner can offer the necessary resources to help you develop a program and to offer recommendations as to what is required to meet the minimum provincial standards. Typically, a Certifying Partner will incorporate the minimum of ten elements as set out by the PIR standards.
Step three – Get an Audit.
Once your Health & Safety Management System has been developed and implemented, typically for a minimum of one year the organization must be audited. There are two options available for having your Health & Safety System reviewed:
***In some cases, Certifying Partners may offer a ‘baseline audit’ which is an assessment carried out in advance of an external audit and is primarily used to identify any gaps and to aide in being set in the right direction in achieving your Alberta COR.
In all cases and regarding all Certifying Partners all Alberta COR audits are based around three criteria:
Step four – Post Audit.
To pass an external audit there must be an overall score of at least 80% with a minimum score of 50% for each of the ten Health & Safety Management System program elements.
Once completed, the auditor will submit the audit to the chosen Certifying Partner for a Quality Assurance review. Should there be any corrections required by the Certifying Partner the audit will be returned to the auditor in order to make the necessary corrections. The audit must then be re-submitted for another Quality Assurance review. (This is particularly important where COR is a re-certification year as timelines need to be met)
Once and if passed, the Certifying Partner will request the Government of Alberta to issue the organization with a Certificate of Recognition which must be signed by both the Certifying Partner and the government. Along with the COR will be the completed audit report.