Safety

 Saskatchewan Certificate of Recognition (COR®) Program

The Certificate of Recognition (COR®) program is an occupational health and safety program designation verifying that a company has a fully-implemented health and safety management system that meets national standards. COR is nationally trademarked and is endorsed by participating members of the Canadian Federation of Construction Safety Associations (CFCSA), including the Saskatchewan Construction Safety Association (SCSA). The objective of COR is to provide companies with the knowledge and tools to develop effective health and safety management systems to identify weaknesses that can lead to costly workplace injuries and incidents.

COR is the national standard in safety recognition in the safety industry and its objective is to reduce incidents and their associated human and financial costs. COR certification is now frequently required as a pre-qualification and/or condition of contract by public and private buyers of construction across Canada. A significant number of industry-leading Saskatchewan companies are COR certified. 

COR Program Certification Benefits

• Injury prevention and cost savings: A COR certified company can experience reduced financial costs associated with injuries and incidents that affect the company’s financial bottom line. A good safety record will enhance an organization’s reputation in the industry. Employers have found an evaluation of their health and safety program is an effective way to identify organizations weaknesses to be corrected. This can lead to improvements in the system, and fewer job injuries and fewer job interruptions will contribute to a more productive and profitable company.

• Pre-bid qualification: COR certification is a pre-bid qualification requirement for many buyers of construction in Saskatchewan. Qualifying your company to bid puts your company at a decided advantage when compared to those companies that are not COR certified. The COR program is often referenced by construction owners and contractors to locate employers with a demonstrated commitment to accident prevention.

• Due diligence: The documentation and general safety awareness produced by the COR process may also provide evidence of due diligence if your company is charged with an Occupational Health and Safety offence. Through the process of training, program development, and implementation, companies build a more effective organization

Our Membership with HCSA

The Mission of the Heavy Construction Safety Association of Saskatchewan Inc. is to promote the arts and science of safety to the “R” code employers & their employees in order to try to reduce incidents & accidents that result in injury & property damage. By reducing incidents & accidents, the goal is to reduce unnecessary pain & suffering & reduce costs.

The HCSAS started originally as the Roadbuilders Safety Association in 1957. To reflect the diversity of the employers in the “R” code the association was incorporated on October 2, 1995 as the Heavy Construction Safety Association of Saskatchewan Inc.

Employers in the “R” code are involved in the following activities:

· Earthmoving

· Demolition

· Paving

· Trenching

· Crushing

· High Line Electrical Work

· Sewer & Water Work

The one thing that ties our diverse group together is that we all use large equipment, and we dig in the dirt. A company becomes a member of the HCSAS as soon as they pay into the “R” code of Saskatchewan Worker’s Compensation.

The benefits of belonging are that the company is entitled to the products and services of the Association. We ensure that our companies have the latest in Safety Regulations and Resources that are currently provided to maintain the highest standards, these include:

· Sound Level Meter – Sound level meters are available for performing noise surveys on site.

· Site Inspections – Staff members are available to perform/or assist with site inspections.

· Accident Investigation – Staff members are available to perform/or assist with accident investigations.

· Newsletter – the association publishes a newsletter.

· Safety Program Consulting

· Classroom and Onsite training

· Safety program auditing

· Equipment simulator training