Standards Comparison

    CSA

    Voluntary
    1919

    Canadian consensus standards for OHS management systems

    VS

    ISO 22301

    Voluntary
    2019

    International standard for business continuity management systems

    Quick Verdict

    CSA provides OHS hazard identification and risk controls for safety-focused industries, while ISO 22301 delivers business continuity frameworks for all sectors. Companies adopt CSA for compliance and due diligence, ISO 22301 for disruption resilience and certification.

    Product Safety

    CSA

    CSA Z1000 Occupational Health and Safety Management

    Cost
    €€€€
    Complexity
    High
    Implementation Time
    12-18 months

    Key Features

    • SCC-accredited consensus-based development process
    • PDCA OHSMS framework aligned with ISO 45001
    • Structured hazard identification and risk assessment
    • Comprehensive six hazard categories coverage
    • Hierarchy of controls prioritizing elimination
    Business Continuity

    ISO 22301

    ISO 22301:2019 Business continuity management systems

    Cost
    €€€
    Complexity
    Medium
    Implementation Time
    0-6 months

    Key Features

    • PDCA cycle for continual BCMS improvement
    • Business Impact Analysis (BIA) and risk assessment
    • Leadership commitment and BCMS policy requirements
    • Operational planning with testing and exercises
    • Seamless integration with ISO 27001 and Annex SL

    Detailed Analysis

    A comprehensive look at the specific requirements, scope, and impact of each standard.

    CSA Details

    What It Is

    CSA Group standards, notably CSA Z1000 (OHSMS) and Z1002 (hazard ID/risk assessment), are consensus-based Canadian standards for occupational health and safety. Developed via SCC-accredited processes, they form a family of voluntary frameworks using PDCA cycle for systematic risk management across sectors like manufacturing and energy.

    Key Components

    • Leadership/policy, planning, implementation, checking, review (Z1000 PDCA structure)
    • Hazard definitions, six categories (biological, chemical, ergonomic, physical, psychosocial, safety)
    • Risk prioritization by severity/likelihood/exposure; hierarchy of controls
    • Worker participation, audits, continual improvement Certification through SCC-accredited bodies.

    Why Organizations Use It

    Provides due diligence evidence, satisfies regulatory references (65% built-environment standards incorporated), reduces liability, enhances compliance monitoring. Builds trust, supports policy implementation, demonstrates risk control for executives/policymakers.

    Implementation Overview

    Phased: policy commitment, hazard registers, training, audits, management reviews. Applies to all sizes/industries, especially high-risk; pilots recommended. Involves CSA training/tools; 12-18 months typical for full integration.

    ISO 22301 Details

    What It Is

    ISO 22301:2019 is the international standard specifying requirements for a Business Continuity Management System (BCMS). It offers a flexible, high-level, risk-based framework to help organizations plan, implement, operate, monitor, review, maintain, and improve resilience against disruptions like cyberattacks, pandemics, and natural disasters.

    Key Components

    • 10 clauses aligned with Annex SL and PDCA (Plan-Do-Check-Act) cycle
    • Core areas: organizational context (Clause 4), leadership and policy (Clause 5), planning with BIA and risk assessment (Clause 6), support resources (Clause 7), operations and testing (Clause 8), performance evaluation (Clause 9), and improvement (Clause 10)
    • No prescriptive controls; adaptable to context
    • Certification model: 3-year validity with annual surveillance audits

    Why Organizations Use It

    Drives resilience, minimizes downtime and losses, ensures compliance (e.g., NIS Directive, NIST), reduces insurance costs, enhances reputation, and provides competitive edges in procurement. Builds stakeholder trust amid rising global risks.

    Implementation Overview

    Involves gap analysis, BIA, strategy development, training, testing, internal audits, and two-stage external certification (6-8 weeks). Applicable to all sizes/sectors globally; accelerated by tools like GlobalSuite.

    Key Differences

    Scope

    CSA
    OHS hazard ID, risk assessment, management systems
    ISO 22301
    Business continuity planning, disruption recovery

    Industry

    CSA
    Manufacturing, construction, energy, healthcare
    ISO 22301
    All sectors, finance, utilities, global enterprises

    Nature

    CSA
    Voluntary consensus standards, certification
    ISO 22301
    International certifiable management system standard

    Testing

    CSA
    Internal audits, management reviews, inspections
    ISO 22301
    Tabletop exercises, simulations, annual audits

    Penalties

    CSA
    Fines if referenced in law, due diligence risk
    ISO 22301
    No legal penalties, loss of certification

    Frequently Asked Questions

    Common questions about CSA and ISO 22301

    CSA FAQ

    ISO 22301 FAQ

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