What does SECOR stand for?

SECOR stands for Small Employer Certificate of Recognition. It is the version of the COR (Certificate of Recognition) program specifically designed for small employers — typically companies with 10 or fewer workers, though the worker threshold varies by province. The program applies the same OHS management system framework as COR but with a scope and audit duration calibrated for smaller operations.

What is the worker threshold for SECOR?

In Alberta, SECOR applies to employers with 10 or fewer workers. In Saskatchewan, the threshold is 9 or fewer. In British Columbia, the equivalent program is called Small COR and applies to companies with 19 or fewer workers. In Manitoba, both COR and SECOR are available to employers of any size, though SECOR remains the common path for smaller operators. Check the certifying partner in your province for the current threshold and whether contract workers count toward the limit.

What does a SECOR audit cover?

SECOR audits assess seven core elements of an OHS management system: management leadership and organisational commitment, hazard identification and assessment, hazard control, ongoing inspections, qualifications and orientations and training, emergency response, and incident investigation and analysis. The audit is scored against documentary evidence (written policies and procedures) and implementation evidence (records showing the program is actually working in the field). The threshold to pass is typically 80% overall and 50% in each individual element.

How long does a SECOR audit take?

A SECOR audit typically runs 16 to 20 hours in total — the on-site portion is shorter than a full COR audit because the operation is smaller. The auditor reviews documentation, interviews management and workers, and observes worksite practices. The formal report and scoring follow the audit, typically within five to seven business days. Preparation time before the audit is where most of the work lives: building or updating the safety program, creating records, and briefing the team.

Does SECOR qualify for a WCB rebate?

Yes. In Alberta, SECOR-certified companies qualify for the WCB Partnerships in Injury Reduction (PIR) rebate of up to 15% of annual WCB premiums. The percentage depends on the company's claims experience and safety performance. In Saskatchewan and Manitoba, rebate programs also apply to SECOR-certified employers. The rebate often offsets a meaningful portion of the audit cost for small operators with moderate WCB premiums.

What is the difference between SECOR and COR?

Both programs audit the same seven OHS management system elements against the same pass/fail thresholds. The difference is scope and duration: SECOR is calibrated for smaller operations, so the audit takes fewer hours, covers a smaller workforce, and requires a smaller documentation set. COR is for larger employers and involves a more extensive audit, longer site review, and a larger required records set. Operators who grow past the SECOR worker threshold must transition to COR. See our full comparison at /insights/cor-vs-secor.

Which certifying partners issue SECOR?

In Alberta, the main certifying partners for SECOR are AASP (Alberta Association for Safety Partnerships), ACSA (Alberta Construction Safety Association), and ESC (Energy Safety Canada) for energy-sector employers. In BC, BCCSA and ESC issue Small COR. In Saskatchewan, SCSA coordinates SECOR. On-Track Safety works with AASP as the preferred certifying partner for most SECOR engagements in Alberta, but will coordinate through whichever partner fits the operation and industry.

Insights

What is SECOR? Canada’s small-employer safety certification.

Published May 20, 2026 by On-Track Safety Solutions.

6 min read

SECOR is the Certificate of Recognition program for small employers across Western Canada. If COR is the certification most contractors know, SECOR is the version built for companies with 10 or fewer workers. Same seven OHS elements, smaller scope, faster audit, and the same WCB rebate on the other side.

Key Takeaways

SECOR applies to small employers — typically 10 or fewer workers in Alberta, 9 or fewer in Saskatchewan, and 19 or fewer in BC (called Small COR).
The audit covers the same 7 OHS management system elements as COR. You need 80% overall and at least 50% per element to pass.
SECOR follows a 3-year cycle: external audit in Year 1, maintenance audits in Years 2 and 3, then recertification.
Certified companies qualify for WCB rebates — up to 15% of annual WCB premiums in Alberta through the Partnerships in Injury Reduction (PIR) program.
SECOR is not a lesser certificate. Many prime contractors accept it from subcontractors who fall under the worker threshold.

What SECOR actually is

SECOR stands for Small Employer Certificate of Recognition. It is administered through the same provincial Workers' Compensation Boards and certifying partners that run the full COR program — ACSA, AASP, Energy Safety Canada in Alberta; BCCSA in BC; SCSA in Saskatchewan.

The certificate tells prime contractors and project owners that a small employer has a functioning OHS management system — one that has been independently audited and scored against a provincial protocol. In practice, many primes that require COR for larger contractors will accept SECOR from a company under the worker threshold.

SECOR is not a stripped-down or inferior certificate. It covers the same seven OHS elements as COR. The difference is audit duration and documentation scope, both of which are calibrated for the reality of a small operation.

SECOR or COR — which is right for your operation?

If you have 10 or fewer workers in Alberta (or are under the threshold in your province) and your prime contractors accept SECOR, it is almost always the faster and lower-cost path to certification. Choose COR from the start if you expect your workforce to grow past the threshold within the next 1 to 2 years — transitioning mid-cycle means restarting the 3-year clock with a new external audit.

The 7 elements a SECOR audit covers

The audit scores your OHS management system against seven elements. You need 80% overall and at least 50% in each element to pass. Scoring below 50% in any single element fails the audit regardless of the overall score.

Management leadership and organisational commitment

Safety policy signed by the most senior person, safety goals documented, responsibilities assigned in writing.

Hazard identification and assessment

Formal Hazard Assessment (FHA) completed for each work task, hazard registry maintained, workers involved in the process.

Hazard control

Safe Work Practices (SWPs) written for identified hazards, hierarchy of controls documented, controls verified in the field.

Ongoing inspections

Scheduled workplace inspections with completed records, corrective actions tracked to closure, inspection records retained.

Qualifications, orientations, and training

Orientation records for every worker, training matrix identifying required courses by role, certificates on file.

Emergency response

Written emergency response plan, workers aware of evacuation procedures, first aid resources identified and accessible.

Incident investigation and analysis

Documented procedure for investigating incidents, completed investigation reports on file, root-cause analysis followed by corrective actions.

Our Services

Ready to pursue SECOR certification?

Our team handles the entire audit process — from initial review to submitting your final documentation. Most audits are completed within 20 hours.

Learn about our SECOR audits

The SECOR 3-year cycle

SECOR uses the same 3-year renewal cycle as COR:

Year 1 (initial): External audit conducted by an accredited third-party auditor from your certifying partner.
Years 2 and 3 (maintenance): Maintenance audits, which may be internal audits conducted by a company-trained internal auditor, depending on the certifying partner. External auditors can also conduct maintenance audits.
Year 4 (recertification): The cycle resets. A new external audit is required to renew the certificate for another 3 years.

The WCB rebate applies each year you hold an active SECOR certificate and submit the required claim. Missing a maintenance audit means the certificate lapses and the rebate stops — which is one of the most common and avoidable reasons small employers lose their certification.

The most common reason SECOR certificates lapse

Missing a Year 2 or Year 3 maintenance audit causes the certificate to expire. Once lapsed, the company must restart with a new external audit — resetting the full 3-year cycle and forfeiting any WCB rebate for the year the certificate was inactive. Set a calendar reminder at least 60 days before your maintenance audit is due.

SECOR by province — Western Canada

Each province runs its own SECOR-equivalent program with its own worker threshold, certifying partners, and rebate structure.

Province	Program	Worker limit	Main partners	WCB rebate
Alberta	SECOR	10 or fewer workers	AASP, ACSA, ESC and others	Up to 15% of WCB premiums (PIR)
British Columbia	Small COR	19 or fewer workers	BCCSA, ESC, go2HR	Up to 10% of base WCB premium
Saskatchewan	SECOR	9 or fewer workers	SCSA, HCSAS, ESC	WCB Safe Employer Incentive
Manitoba	SECOR	All sizes (small employers common)	CSAM, MHCA WORKSAFELY	15% rebate or up to $3,000

When SECOR is the right choice

SECOR makes sense when you are under the COR worker threshold, your prime contractors accept SECOR from small subcontractors, and you want the WCB rebate without the scope of a full COR audit.

COR makes more sense when you are close to or above the threshold, your primes explicitly require COR, or you are planning to grow the workforce beyond the small-employer limit in the next 1 to 2 years. Transitioning from SECOR to COR mid-cycle means a new external audit — starting the 3-year clock over rather than continuing where SECOR left off. For companies on the border, building for COR from the start is often the more efficient long-term path.

See the full comparison at COR vs SECOR, explained.

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SECOR — common questions

What does SECOR stand for?: SECOR stands for Small Employer Certificate of Recognition. It is the version of the COR (Certificate of Recognition) program specifically designed for small employers — typically companies with 10 or fewer workers, though the worker threshold varies by province. The program applies the same OHS management system framework as COR but with a scope and audit duration calibrated for smaller operations.
What is the worker threshold for SECOR?: In Alberta, SECOR applies to employers with 10 or fewer workers. In Saskatchewan, the threshold is 9 or fewer. In British Columbia, the equivalent program is called Small COR and applies to companies with 19 or fewer workers. In Manitoba, both COR and SECOR are available to employers of any size, though SECOR remains the common path for smaller operators. Check the certifying partner in your province for the current threshold and whether contract workers count toward the limit.
What does a SECOR audit cover?: SECOR audits assess seven core elements of an OHS management system: management leadership and organisational commitment, hazard identification and assessment, hazard control, ongoing inspections, qualifications and orientations and training, emergency response, and incident investigation and analysis. The audit is scored against documentary evidence (written policies and procedures) and implementation evidence (records showing the program is actually working in the field). The threshold to pass is typically 80% overall and 50% in each individual element.
How long does a SECOR audit take?: A SECOR audit typically runs 16 to 20 hours in total — the on-site portion is shorter than a full COR audit because the operation is smaller. The auditor reviews documentation, interviews management and workers, and observes worksite practices. The formal report and scoring follow the audit, typically within five to seven business days. Preparation time before the audit is where most of the work lives: building or updating the safety program, creating records, and briefing the team.
Does SECOR qualify for a WCB rebate?: Yes. In Alberta, SECOR-certified companies qualify for the WCB Partnerships in Injury Reduction (PIR) rebate of up to 15% of annual WCB premiums. The percentage depends on the company's claims experience and safety performance. In Saskatchewan and Manitoba, rebate programs also apply to SECOR-certified employers. The rebate often offsets a meaningful portion of the audit cost for small operators with moderate WCB premiums.
What is the difference between SECOR and COR?: Both programs audit the same seven OHS management system elements against the same pass/fail thresholds. The difference is scope and duration: SECOR is calibrated for smaller operations, so the audit takes fewer hours, covers a smaller workforce, and requires a smaller documentation set. COR is for larger employers and involves a more extensive audit, longer site review, and a larger required records set. Operators who grow past the SECOR worker threshold must transition to COR. See our full comparison at /insights/cor-vs-secor.
Which certifying partners issue SECOR?: In Alberta, the main certifying partners for SECOR are AASP (Alberta Association for Safety Partnerships), ACSA (Alberta Construction Safety Association), and ESC (Energy Safety Canada) for energy-sector employers. In BC, BCCSA and ESC issue Small COR. In Saskatchewan, SCSA coordinates SECOR. On-Track Safety works with AASP as the preferred certifying partner for most SECOR engagements in Alberta, but will coordinate through whichever partner fits the operation and industry.

Ready to start your SECOR audit? On-Track coordinates end to end.

Tell us your province, your industry, and your worker count. On-Track handles certifying partner selection, documentation review, audit scheduling, and corrective action follow-up.