Gap assessments and reviews

COR gap audit: a mock COR audit before the real one

Also called: COR pre-audit gap assessment

A COR gap audit is a mock COR audit, scored against the same audit tool your certifying partner uses. You see which questions you would lose points on, and why, while there is still time to fix them.

See a sample report

Quoted per site. Call 1-800-440-6650 to talk to a safety expert.

Who does the work: ACSA and ESC certified COR auditors, auditing since 2008.

Who asks for a COR gap audit?

First-time COR companies

You have built a program and want to know it will pass before you pay for the certification audit.

Recertification year

Three years is long enough for a program to drift. A gap audit shows what changed before the full audit.

After a failed audit

We check every lost question against what you have fixed, so the re-audit does not repeat the result.

New safety coordinator

You inherited a program and need to know where it really stands.

What do we check?

Documentation

  • Every element of the audit tool your certifying partner uses
  • Records sampled across the full 12-month audit window
  • Whether your manual commits you to more than you do

Interviews

  • Workers, supervisors and management, in the proportions the audit uses
  • Whether people know the program the documents describe

Observations

  • Site conditions against your own hazard assessments and inspections
  • Controls, equipment and practices in use on the day

Sample report

What does the report look like?

Four pages from a sample report, built on invented data. Real reports follow the same order: the summary first, then the scores, every improvement in full, and a roadmap to close them.
Sample Contracting Ltd.Sample

Executive summary

Mock COR audit, full audit tool, 12-month window

8

Elements scored

Strong documents; the points are being lost in interviews.

What is working

  • Written program complete for every element
  • Management commitment visible on site
  • Incident reporting culture is healthy

Top priorities

  • Get hazard assessment findings to the crew
  • Stop missing planned inspections
  • Match the training matrix to the manual
Invented data for illustrationPage 1
1 of 4

Sample gap list

What does a gap look like?

Every gap names what we found, the evidence behind it, the fix, and the reference it comes from. Filter the sample list or open any row.

Showing 6 of 6 sample gaps

  • Evidence we checked
    Interviews: 3 of 8 workers gave a clear answer.
    The fix
    Review the relevant hazard assessment at each tailgate meeting and record it on the meeting form.
    Reference
    Audit tool, Element 2 (sample question)
    Target
    Within 30 days

How does it work?

  1. Scoping questions

    A short questionnaire of facts: sites, headcount, fleet size, who your customer is and what they asked for. We never ask "do you comply". That is our job to find out.

  2. Secure upload link

    You get a private link with a named list of the documents we need, so nobody guesses what to send. Upload from any device.

  3. Desk review before we arrive

    We read every document before the site visit, so field time is spent checking your records against the work, not reading binders.

  4. Field day

    We walk the site, talk with workers and supervisors, and check what the records say against what is actually happening.

  5. Scored report and debrief

    A scored report with a prioritized gap list, the reference for each gap, and a practical fix. We walk you through it and answer questions.

What does it not cover?

  • Not a certification audit. A gap audit cannot be submitted to a certifying partner and does not earn COR.

  • Not a guarantee of a score. Your certifying partner sets the audit scope, and the real auditor samples on the day.

  • Not a rewrite of your manual. If the manual is the problem, we will say so and quote that work separately.

Frequently asked questions

What is a COR gap audit?

It is a practice COR audit using the same audit tool, questions and methods (documents, interviews and observations) as the real one. The result is a question-by-question list of where you would lose points and what would fix each one.

How is it different from the COR audit itself?

The certification audit is submitted to your certifying partner and decides your certificate. A gap audit is for you only. Nothing is submitted, so you can fix what it finds before the real audit starts.

How long before the real audit should we do it?

Two to four months gives time to fix records and still show a few months of evidence. Later still helps, but some gaps need time to build a record.

Does it work for SECOR as well?

Yes. We use the small employer audit tool for SECOR companies and the same method at a smaller scale.

Related services

Other gap assessments and reviews

All gap assessments

Book a COR gap audit

Tell us what your customer, regulator or certifying partner is asking for. We will scope it and quote it per site, usually the same business day.

Call a safety expert: 1-800-440-6650