CSA
Canadian consensus standards for OHS management systems
ISO 22301
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.
CSA
CSA Z1000 Occupational Health and Safety Management
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
ISO 22301
ISO 22301:2019 Business continuity management systems
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
| Aspect | CSA | ISO 22301 |
|---|---|---|
| Scope | OHS hazard ID, risk assessment, management systems | Business continuity planning, disruption recovery |
| Industry | Manufacturing, construction, energy, healthcare | All sectors, finance, utilities, global enterprises |
| Nature | Voluntary consensus standards, certification | International certifiable management system standard |
| Testing | Internal audits, management reviews, inspections | Tabletop exercises, simulations, annual audits |
| Penalties | Fines if referenced in law, due diligence risk | No legal penalties, loss of certification |
Scope
Industry
Nature
Testing
Penalties
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about CSA and ISO 22301
CSA FAQ
ISO 22301 FAQ
You Might also be Interested in These Articles...

Unpacking the True Cost: A Guide to Calculating TCO for Modern Compliance Monitoring Software
Unpack the true Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) for compliance monitoring software. Factor in licenses, implementation, training, maintenance, and ROI savings for

NIST 800-53 Private Sector ROI Reality Check: Isolating Control Family Impacts on 2024 Breach Costs
Discover NIST 800-53 ROI in private sector: control families like RA, SI, SR reduce median breach costs from $100K to under $50K. Get benchmarks to prioritize i

The Tool Landscape for Reaching and Maintaining ISO 27701 Compliance
Discover the top tools for ISO 27701 compliance. Compare functionality, complexity, costs, and benefits to choose the best solution for your privacy program. Ac
Run Maturity Assessments with GRADUM
Transform your compliance journey with our AI-powered assessment platform
Assess your organization's maturity across multiple standards and regulations including ISO 27001, DORA, NIS2, NIST, GDPR, and hundreds more. Get actionable insights and track your progress with collaborative, AI-powered evaluations.
Check out these other Gradum.io Standards Comparison Pages
ISO 26000 vs ISO 19600
Discover ISO 26000 vs ISO 19600: Non-certifiable SR guidance with 7 principles & core subjects vs risk-based compliance systems. Unlock strategic differences for governance excellence now!
OSHA vs MAS TRM
Discover OSHA vs MAS TRM: Compare US workplace safety standards with Singapore's tech risk guidelines for finance. Unlock key differences, compliance strategies, and global best practices now!
CCPA vs WCAG
Compare CCPA privacy rights & WCAG accessibility: Key differences, compliance strategies, overlaps in notices & audits. Boost data protection & inclusive design today.