COR PROGRAMS Certificate of Recognition
The National COR Auditing concept derived from the original International Safety Rating System, (5 Star program) conceived by Frank Bird Jr. in the late 1970's. His concepts revolutionized archaic safety thinking and highlighted the understanding for Safety Management to be integrated into the daily operations of every organization. No longer would safety be treated as a satellite function; an expensive annoyance restricting production. COR Auditing programs seek to assist Senior Managers and Business Owners in identifying deficiencies in their existing safety programs. With so many companies now enrolled a competitive edge is critical.
Although the financial incentives for COR program participation are attractive, progressive companies interested in further affecting their bottom line, are strongly encouraged to look at other Loss Management Concepts and techniques designed to ensure Proper Operation rather than Safe Operation. Get COR Certified first!
Each industry has its own specific COR Audit and requirements but Safety Management is still largely the same in all business sectors. Current WorksafeBC Certifying Partners for COR Certification in Industry:
www.bccsa.ca Construction
www.farsha.bc.ca Farming
www.fmiosa.com Food and Manufacturing
www.bcforestsafe.org Forestry
www.bcmea.com Marine Employers
www.bcmsa.ca Municipal Government
www.enform.ca Oil and Gas
www.bctrucking.com Trucking
Certificate of Recognition (COR) OHS Audit
Certificate of Recognition (COR) OHS is an incentive program developed by WorkSafeBC to encourage and ensure that employers develop and maintain an effective health and safety program; an essential part of your Safety Management System.
Benefits of COR Certification: RECEIVE UP TO 10% OFF WorkSafeBC BASE ASSESSMENTS, and
Provides a long-term competitive advantage
Enhances corporate image, safety culture, fewer production/service delays
Ability to bid on Provincial and Federal Contracts
Visible results directly affecting your bottom line
Leads ultimately to a more efficiently managed operation
Opens doors to advanced programs: Six Sigma, Lean, ISO 1800, ISO 9001 etc
Eligibility for the COR Program:
You must be registered with WorkSafeBC as an employer prior to application and
have been reported with an assessable payroll from the previous year
You must operate in a sector covered by a Certifying Partner
The type of COR Program is based on the size of your organization:
Small Business COR - less than 20 employees
Large Business COR - 20 or more employees
COR Audits may be performed by either Internal Auditors or External Auditors:
Internal Auditors are your employees trained usually through your certifying partner
External Auditors are Accredited through the certifying partner
COR Validation: COR certification is valid for three years provided you maintain your eligibility within the COR
program and that training elements and auditing standards are maintained annually.
External Auditors are often required by the COR program to conduct Re-Certification audits.
COR Audit Process: The COR Audit consists of standard weighted questions covering usually 14 elements of your
Safety Program. Verification is done by Documentation, Observation and Interviews.Thus the
External Auditor will verify that your written policies and procedures are the same as those
Observed in the workplace, and are those which employees commonly understand to be intergral in
their everyday work activities. A score of 80% on the COR Audit is required for Certification.
We recommend using an External Auditor for the initial COR Audit and then, once the concept is
clear, train your own Internal Auditor to maintain your certification.
Dependent upon the size of the organization, the External Auditor may be on site for 2-5 days, the
audit report available within two weeks. Professional recommendations are made in consultation
with your staff to improve weak areas in your Safety program.
Make no mistake, the COR Audit is, by necessity, very thorough and every point is hard won and well deserved !
“Although the financial incentives for COR program participation are attractive, progressive companies interested in further affecting their bottom lines are strongly encouraged to look at other Loss Management Concepts and techniques design to ensure Proper Operation rather than Safe Operation."