How to Get SECOR Certification in Alberta (Without Losing Your Mind)

chris98141

Mar 193 min read

You’re standing on your job site, clipboard in one hand, coffee in the other, watching your crew get to work. Business is growing, but there’s one problem that keeps nagging at you—you need SECOR certification, and you need it fast.

Maybe you’re bidding on a big contract, but they won’t even look at your proposal without it. Maybe you want to avoid fines and keep your team safe. Either way, one thing is clear:

SECOR is a non-negotiable.
The process looks like a nightmare.
You don’t have time to figure it out.

You’ve heard the horror stories. Some business owners spend months trying to create a safety manual, only to have their audit rejected. Others pay consultants a fortune just to get a pile of paperwork they don’t even know how to use.

The good news? There’s a faster, easier way to get SECOR-certified without wasting time or money.

STEP 1: CHECK IF YOU QUALIFY FOR SECOR

Before you dive into the process, make sure your company meets the requirements:

✅ You have 10 or fewer employees.

✅ You work in construction or a related industry.

✅ You’re willing to complete a safety audit.

If your company is larger than 10 employees, you’ll need to go for COR certification instead, which is a more complex process.

If you’re good to go, let’s move on.

STEP 2: COMPLETE THE REQUIRED SAFETY TRAINING

Before applying for SECOR, you (or a designated employee) must complete specific safety training.

The key course required is Principles of Health & Safety Management (PHSM), which must be taken through the Alberta Construction Safety Association (ACSA) or the Alberta Association for Safety Partnerships (AASP).

Completing this training is essential before moving forward.

STEP 3: BUILD YOUR HEALTH & SAFETY PROGRAM

This is where most construction business owners get stuck.

To pass your SECOR audit, you need a fully compliant Health & Safety Manual that includes:

Written safety policies
Hazard assessments
Emergency response plans
Training documentation
Safe work procedures

Without these, your application will be rejected.

Most business owners approach this in one of three ways:

Try to build it from scratch, wasting months on research.
Download generic templates that don’t meet ACSA requirements.
Hire a consultant and spend thousands on paperwork.

The better option is to use a done-for-you SECOR Compliance Package that includes everything you need—pre-filled, ready to submit, and fully ACSA-compliant.

STEP 4: IMPLEMENT YOUR SAFETY PROGRAM

Once your safety manual is in place, it’s time to put your program into action.

That means:

Training employees on policies
Holding regular safety meetings and documenting them
Completing hazard assessments

If your audit shows that you have policies but aren’t actively using them, you won’t get certified.

With a done-for-you manual, this step becomes simple because all the forms and procedures are already included.

STEP 5: SUBMIT YOUR SECOR AUDIT

The final step is submitting your SECOR audit for approval.

This involves:

Submitting your safety documentation
Providing proof that safety procedures are being followed
Waiting for the ACSA to review your audit

If everything is done correctly, your company will receive SECOR certification. Once certified, you can bid on better contracts, lower WCB premiums, and prove that your company takes safety seriously.

THE FASTEST WAY TO GET SECOR CERTIFIED WITHOUT THE HASLE

You could:

Spend months figuring this out on your own
Risk getting rejected because of missing documents
Pay thousands to a consultant for something you could have done faster

Or you could take the easier route.

A done-for-you SECOR Compliance Package provides everything you need—pre-filled, fully ACSA-compliant, and ready for submission.