ISO 45001
International standard for occupational health and safety management
GDPR UK
UK regulation for personal data protection compliance
Quick Verdict
ISO 45001 provides voluntary OH&S management certification for global safety improvement, while GDPR UK mandates data protection compliance for UK personal data handlers with hefty fines. Companies adopt ISO 45001 for risk reduction and IMS integration; GDPR UK to avoid penalties and build trust.
ISO 45001
ISO 45001:2018 Occupational health and safety management systems
Key Features
- Top management accountability and worker participation
- Risk-based planning with hierarchy of controls
- Annex SL structure for integrated management systems
- PDCA cycle for continual improvement
- Operational controls for change and contractors
GDPR UK
UK General Data Protection Regulation
Key Features
- Accountability principle requiring demonstrable compliance
- Seven core data processing principles
- Data subject rights with one-month timelines
- 72-hour ICO breach notification obligation
- Mandatory DPIAs for high-risk processing
Detailed Analysis
A comprehensive look at the specific requirements, scope, and impact of each standard.
ISO 45001 Details
What It Is
ISO 45001:2018 is the international standard for Occupational Health and Safety Management Systems (OHSMS). It provides a framework to prevent work-related injury and ill health, improve OH&S performance, using a risk-based approach aligned with Annex SL (High-Level Structure) and PDCA cycle.
Key Components
- Clauses 4-10 cover context, leadership, planning, support, operation, evaluation, improvement.
- Emphasizes leadership accountability, worker participation, hierarchy of controls.
- Built on PDCA; supports certification via audits.
Why Organizations Use It
- Reduces incidents, legal risks, costs; enhances resilience.
- Meets stakeholder expectations, supply-chain requirements.
- Builds safety culture, competitive advantage via certification.
- Integrates with ISO 9001/14001 for efficiency.
Implementation Overview
- Phased: gap analysis, policy/objectives, controls, audits.
- Scalable for all sizes/sectors; 6-12 months typical.
- Requires training, documented info, internal audits; optional third-party certification.
GDPR UK Details
What It Is
The UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR) is the UK's post-Brexit adaptation of the EU GDPR, a binding legal regulation enforced by the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO). It applies a risk-based, accountability-focused approach to safeguard personal data processing.
Key Components
- **Seven core principleslawfulness, fairness/transparency, purpose limitation, data minimisation, accuracy, storage limitation, integrity/confidentiality, accountability.
- Individual **data subject rightsaccess, rectification, erasure, restriction, portability, objection, automated decisions.
- Controller/processor obligations: Records of Processing Activities (RoPA), DPIAs, processor contracts, security measures, 72-hour breach notifications.
- No formal certification; compliance via demonstrable evidence, ICO enforcement up to 4% global turnover fines.
Why Organizations Use It
- Mandatory for UK data processors; avoids fines, civil claims, reputational harm.
- Builds trust, enables secure data use, supports cross-border operations.
- Drives efficiency via minimisation, better governance.
Implementation Overview
Phased: governance setup, RoPA/data mapping, policies/contracts, training, DPIAs/security, rights/breach processes. Applies universally to organizations handling UK personal data; extra-territorial scope; ongoing monitoring/audits required.
Key Differences
| Aspect | ISO 45001 | GDPR UK |
|---|---|---|
| Scope | Occupational health & safety management | Personal data protection & privacy |
| Industry | All sectors worldwide, scalable | All handling UK personal data, extra-territorial |
| Nature | Voluntary ISO certification standard | Mandatory UK regulation with fines |
| Testing | Internal audits, management reviews | DPIAs, breach assessments, ICO audits |
| Penalties | Loss of certification, no fines | Up to 4% global turnover fines |
Scope
Industry
Nature
Testing
Penalties
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about ISO 45001 and GDPR UK
ISO 45001 FAQ
GDPR UK FAQ
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