Answer for how things really are today, with records to prove it. “We do it but don't write it down” is Partly at best: an auditor needs the evidence. Nothing you answer leaves this page.
1. Management commitment and policy
2. Hazard assessment
3. Hazard control
4. Inspections
5. Training and orientation
6. Emergency response
7. Incident investigation
8. Worker participation and communication
9. Records and program administration
Answer every question to see your score and where to start.
This self-check asks 27 questions across the nine parts of a health and safety program a COR audit looks at. Answer Yes, Partly or No for each, and you get a readiness score for every area, an overall score, and the three areas to work on first.
How the score works
Yes scores 2, Partly 1 and No 0. Each area is scored out of 100, and the overall score is the average of the nine areas. A COR audit needs at least 50% on every element and 80% overall, so the result marks any area under 50% and tells you whether your overall score would clear 80%.
Records are what an auditor scores
Most gaps are not missing safety work but missing proof of it. If an inspection happens and nobody writes it down, an auditor cannot give you the points. That is why the self-check counts “we do it but don't record it” as Partly at best.
What a real audit adds
A certification audit scores the full standard, element by element, from your documents, a walk through your sites and interviews with a sample of workers and managers. The three have to agree. Our COR audit preparation checklist covers the documents to have ready and a step-by-step plan, and what a COR is explains the program if you are just starting.
If you want a second set of eyes, our certified advisors run gap assessments and take companies through COR and SECOR preparation. TruStar Safety prepares companies for audits and does not conduct external COR audits.
Frequently asked questions
What score do you need to pass a COR audit?
A COR certification audit needs at least 80% overall and at least 50% on every element. One weak element can hold up the certificate even when the overall score is high, so balance across the program matters.
How do I know if my company is ready for a COR audit?
You are likely ready when every part of your health and safety program is in place and recorded: a signed policy, hazard assessments, controls, scheduled inspections with findings closed, training records, emergency plans and drills, incident investigations, worker participation and organized records. A gap assessment against the full standard two to three months before the audit confirms it.
Is this self-check the same as a COR audit?
No. It is a quick way to see where your program stands. A real COR audit scores the full standard from three sources of evidence: documents, site observation and interviews with workers and managers.
What are the most common reasons companies lose points in a COR audit?
The most common gaps are inspections and toolbox talks that happen but are not recorded, corrective actions that are never closed out, generic hazard assessments that do not match the work, missing or expired training records, and workers who cannot describe the program in interviews.
Prepare for and maintain your COR or SECOR with TruStar Connect
TruStar Connect is COR and SECOR ready safety management software that keeps your inspections, hazard assessments, training, and corrective actions organized and audit ready all year.
