April 10, 2012

Certificate of Recognition program can be core prevention tool

KELLY LAPOINTE

staff writer

Ontario is one of the last provinces to join the Certificate of Recognition (COR) program, which provides the opportunity to learn from other jurisdictions’ mistakes, says an IHSA leader.

The COR program is well established in every other jurisdiction except Quebec, which has signed a Memorandum of Understanding for reciprocity.

Paul Casey, Vice-President Program and Strategic Development at Infrastructure Health and Safety Association (IHSA), said COR gives companies the opportunity to get ahead of the game.

“The biggest challenge we will always have in prevention is that people feel if somebody is not getting hurt or if somebody hasn’t fallen down on the job, then we’re safe and that’s wrong because you have to be prepared.”

COR provides employers with a health and safety management system to eliminate incidents, injuries and illnesses. It is supported by the Canadian Federation of Construction Safety Associations. In many provinces and territories, it is a pre-qualification requirement for contractors working in and out of the province and on public- and private-sector projects.

The majority of COR firms are in the construction industry, though the program is used by major business sectors in Alberta and British Columbia.

Casey recently spoke at the Ontario General Contractors Association (OGCA) leadership meeting where the over 160 attendees heard how the COR program is implemented in other Canadian jurisdictions. OGCA partnered with the IHSA to develop and pilot the Ontario version of COR last year.

The development of an accreditation program like COR was among the recommendations the IHSA Provincial Labour/Management Section 21 Committee made to Ontario’s occupational health and safety panel review led by Tony Dean.

“The reason for COR in Ontario, for the IHSA, was to marshal our ability to deliver products and services to employers and workplaces that were interested in becoming COR certified.”

The IHSA has trained staff across the province to deliver the programs. Casey said business to business is the driver of COR.

“We can talk about incentives, we can talk about motivators, but the relationship that you have with your contractors and your constructors is paramount. Being able to meet their expectations or to set your own expectations is what will move COR forward.”

COR is valid for three years, with annual audit requirements that must be reviewed by IHSA.

A representative from senior management and one designated full-time employee must take prescribed training offered by IHSA.

The training is conducted to help the employer understand and commit to the program, and for the full-time employee to become the designated internal auditor.

Casey said it’s not important to score 100 per cent on the audit, it’s just important that a company is looking at its health and safety system.

“Once you look, you realize where the gaps are in your program and that gives you the opportunity to fix it.”

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