OSHA
US federal regulation for workplace safety standards
CIS Controls
Prioritized cybersecurity framework of 18 controls
Quick Verdict
OSHA mandates workplace safety standards with inspections and fines for U.S. employers, while CIS Controls offer voluntary cybersecurity best practices. Companies adopt OSHA for legal compliance; CIS for prioritized cyber hygiene and resilience.
OSHA
Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970
Key Features
- General Duty Clause addresses uncodified serious hazards
- Hierarchy of controls prioritizes engineering over PPE
- Mandatory OSHA 300 injury/illness recordkeeping and reporting
- Risk-based inspections targeting high-hazard industries
- Performance-based standards with civil penalties enforcement
CIS Controls
CIS Critical Security Controls v8.1
Key Features
- 18 prioritized controls with 153 actionable safeguards
- Implementation Groups IG1-IG3 for scalable adoption
- Mappings to NIST CSF, ISO 27001, PCI DSS
- Asset inventory and continuous vulnerability management focus
- Community-driven, offense-informed best practices
Detailed Analysis
A comprehensive look at the specific requirements, scope, and impact of each standard.
OSHA Details
What It Is
OSHA (Occupational Safety and Health Administration) enforces the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970, a US federal regulation codified in 29 CFR 1910 for general industry. Its primary purpose is assuring safe, healthful working conditions via standards enforcement, inspections, and the General Duty Clause for recognized hazards. It uses a performance-based, hierarchy-of-controls approach prioritizing elimination, engineering, and administrative measures.
Key Components
- Organized into subparts (A-Z) covering walking surfaces, PPE, hazardous materials, toxic substances.
- Core elements: Hazard Communication, recordkeeping (Forms 300/300A/301), emergency plans, enforcement via citations/penalties.
- Built on hierarchy of controls and IIPP (Injury Illness Prevention Programs).
- Compliance via inspections, no formal certification but state plans and VPP recognition.
Why Organizations Use It
Mandatory for most US employers; reduces injuries, penalties (up to $165,514 willful), workers' comp costs. Enhances risk management, productivity, reputation; aligns with ESG and insurance incentives.
Implementation Overview
Phased: gap analysis, written programs, training, audits. Applies to general industry nationwide; ongoing via electronic reporting, inspections. High complexity for multi-site operations.
CIS Controls Details
What It Is
CIS Critical Security Controls (CIS Controls) v8.1 is a community-driven, prescriptive cybersecurity framework of prioritized best practices to reduce cyber risk. It focuses on actionable safeguards across hybrid environments, emphasizing governance, asset management, and resilience.
Key Components
- 18 Controls with 153 Safeguards, organized into Implementation Groups (IG1–IG3) for scalability.
- Core areas: asset/software inventory, data protection, access management, vulnerability remediation, monitoring, incident response.
- Built on real-world attack data; maps to NIST, ISO 27001, PCI DSS.
- No formal certification; compliance via self-assessment and audits.
Why Organizations Use It
- Mitigates 85% of common attacks, accelerates regulatory compliance.
- Reduces breach costs, enhances efficiency, builds insurer/partner trust.
- Provides strategic advantage through prioritized hygiene and maturity progression.
Implementation Overview
- Phased roadmap: governance, discovery, foundational controls (IG1), expansion (IG2/IG3), validation.
- Applies to all sizes/industries; tools like CIS Benchmarks automate.
- Metrics-driven with KPIs for continuous improvement.
Key Differences
| Aspect | OSHA | CIS Controls |
|---|---|---|
| Scope | Workplace safety, health hazards, recordkeeping | Cybersecurity hygiene, asset management, incident response |
| Industry | All U.S. industries, general/construction/agriculture | All industries worldwide, IT/cyber focused |
| Nature | Mandatory U.S. federal regulation with enforcement | Voluntary prioritized cybersecurity best practices |
| Testing | OSHA inspections, compliance audits by agency | Self-assessments, pen testing, maturity evaluations |
| Penalties | Civil fines up to $165k, criminal for willful | No penalties, reputational/insurance impacts |
Scope
Industry
Nature
Testing
Penalties
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about OSHA and CIS Controls
OSHA FAQ
CIS Controls FAQ
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