Insights
Canadian safety compliance, plainly explained.
The questions Canadian operators actually ask about COR audits, SECOR audits, contractor compliance platforms, and safety manuals. Written by the team that audits them.
Audit score trend
3-year cycle
Article library
What is COR (Certificate of Recognition)?
What the certificate actually is, who issues it, which Canadian operators need one, and what the audit looks like end to end.
Read the answer
COR vs SECOR, explained
Which Certificate of Recognition program fits the operation. Plain-English comparison of audit scope, scoring, and timing.
Read the answer
Who needs a SECOR certificate in Alberta?
SECOR applies to employers with 10 or fewer workers in Alberta. Worker-count thresholds by province, the 4-step process, WCB PIR rebate, and the 3-year cycle.
Read the answer
How much does a COR audit cost?
COR audit rates range from $80 to $150 per hour. What drives the cost, why companies plan 12 months out, and how the WCB rebate offsets the spend.
Read the answer
ISNetworld vs Avetta vs ComplyWorks vs CanQual
The four main contractor compliance platforms in Canada -- what each does, what the ISN RAVS score means, and how to decide which ones you need.
Read the answer
Safety manual vs template: what is the difference?
A template is generic. A custom safety manual is built for your operations, province, and certifying partner. The difference matters most when an auditor scores it.
Read the answer
COR audit preparation checklist
A timeline-based checklist from 12 months to audit day: booking the auditor, building records, briefing the team, and closing corrective actions after the report.
Read the answer
Is online H2S training enough for Alberta oil and gas?
H2S Alive is the in-person certification required for Alberta oil and gas site access. Online H2S awareness training does not qualify workers for sour-gas zones. Plain-English comparison, who delivers H2S Alive, and when each applies.
Read the answer
What is SECOR? Small Employer Certificate of Recognition, explained
SECOR is Canada's COR program for companies with 10 or fewer workers. What the audit covers, how the 3-year cycle works, the WCB rebate, and which certifying partners issue it across Western Canada.
Read the answer
How long does COR certification take?
COR certification takes 12 to 18 months for most companies. This guide walks through each phase — building the program, booking an auditor, the audit itself, and waiting for certification — with realistic timelines for Alberta and Western Canadian operators.
Read the answer
COR and WCB rebates: How Alberta contractors recover audit costs
Alberta's PIR program pays a WCB premium rebate to companies that hold an active COR certificate — up to 20% of WCB premiums, which for many contractors exceeds the full cost of the audit and safety program.
Read the answer
ISNetworld RAVS 360: What Alberta contractors need to know
RAVS 360 rates your company on a scale of 0 to 100. Most Alberta prime contractors require a minimum score before awarding work. How the score is calculated, what documents ISNetworld asks for, and how to improve a low rating.
Read the answer
What happens if you fail a COR audit?
Failing a COR audit means scoring below the certifying partner's pass threshold. The corrective action process, WCB rebate impact, re-audit timelines, and the most common failure points for Canadian operators.
Read the answer