OSHA
US federal regulation for workplace safety standards
ISO 27018
International code of practice for PII protection in public clouds
Quick Verdict
OSHA enforces mandatory workplace safety standards across US industries to prevent injuries via inspections and fines, while ISO 27018 provides voluntary cloud privacy controls for PII processors. Companies adopt OSHA for legal compliance; ISO 27018 for global trust and procurement advantage.
OSHA
Occupational Safety and Health Standards 29 CFR 1910
Key Features
- Enforces General Duty Clause for recognized hazards
- Hierarchy of controls prioritizing engineering solutions
- Comprehensive 29 CFR 1910 standards for general industry
- Mandatory OSHA 300 log and electronic reporting
- Risk-based inspection prioritization and penalties
ISO 27018
ISO/IEC 27018:2025 PII protection in public clouds
Key Features
- 1. Tailored controls for PII processors in public clouds
- 2. Mandates subprocessor transparency and disclosure
- 3. Prohibits PII use for marketing without consent
- 4. Requires customer breach notification procedures
- 5. Supports data subject rights like erasure and access
Detailed Analysis
A comprehensive look at the specific requirements, scope, and impact of each standard.
OSHA Details
What It Is
Occupational Safety and Health Standards (29 CFR 1910) is a US federal regulation under the OSH Act of 1970. It establishes enforceable rules for general industry workplace safety and health. Primary purpose: assure safe conditions by reducing hazards via specific standards and the General Duty Clause. Approach: performance-based with hierarchy of controls (elimination, substitution, engineering, administrative, PPE).
Key Components
- Organized into Subparts A-Z covering walking surfaces, PPE, hazardous materials, toxic substances.
- Over 30 subparts with substance-specific rules (e.g., lead, noise, HazCom).
- Core principles: hazard identification, prevention, recordkeeping (OSHA 300/300A/301), training.
- Compliance via inspections, citations; no certification but state plans may vary.
Why Organizations Use It
- Legal mandate avoids penalties up to $165k.
- Reduces injuries, lowers insurance costs, boosts productivity.
- Enhances reputation, meets stakeholder ESG demands.
- Manages risks from falls, chemicals, machinery.
Implementation Overview
- Phased: gap analysis, written programs (IIPP, HazCom), training, audits.
- Applies to most private employers; scales by size/industry.
- Ongoing: electronic ITA reporting, inspections; uses OSHA consultations.
ISO 27018 Details
What It Is
ISO/IEC 27018:2025 is a code of practice extending ISO/IEC 27001 and ISO/IEC 27002 for protecting personally identifiable information (PII) in public clouds, where providers act as PII processors. It addresses cloud-specific risks like multi-tenancy and cross-border flows via a risk-based, control-oriented approach.
Key Components
- ~25-30 privacy-specific controls on consent, purpose limitation, transparency, accountability
- Aligned with ISO 27001 Annex A (organizational, people, physical, technological domains)
- Built on ISO 27002 guidance; integrated into ISO 27001 certification (no standalone cert)
Why Organizations Use It
- Enhances trust, accelerates procurement with audited Statement of Applicability
- Supports GDPR Article 28, HIPAA processor obligations
- Mitigates PII risks; aids cyber insurance and compliance
- Differentiates CSPs via privacy stewardship
Implementation Overview
- Conduct gap analysis, integrate into ISMS
- Focus: subprocessor disclosure, breach notification, training
- Applicable to CSPs all sizes, globally
- Audited within ISO 27001; annual surveillance required
Key Differences
| Aspect | OSHA | ISO 27018 |
|---|---|---|
| Scope | Workplace safety, health hazards, recordkeeping | PII protection in public cloud services |
| Industry | All US industries, general/construction/agriculture | Cloud service providers worldwide |
| Nature | Mandatory US federal regulations, enforced by OSHA | Voluntary code of practice, ISO 27001 extension |
| Testing | OSHA inspections, no certification required | ISO 27001 audits with 27018 controls assessed |
| Penalties | Civil fines up to $165k per willful violation | No legal penalties, loss of certification |
Scope
Industry
Nature
Testing
Penalties
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about OSHA and ISO 27018
OSHA FAQ
ISO 27018 FAQ
You Might also be Interested in These Articles...
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
DORA Third-Party Risk Management: A Consultant’s Guide to Mapping Critical ICT Service Providers in 2026
Navigate DORA's complex third-party risk pillar. Step-by-step consultant guide to identify critical ICT providers, remediate Article 30 contracts, and build the
The DORA 'Hot Seat' Blueprint: Preparing Leadership and the Management Body for Regulatory Interviews
Prepare your Board & Management Body for DORA audits. Master the human element: demonstrate active oversight & accountability in regulatory interviews. Get the
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
CE Marking vs ISO 21001
Compare CE Marking vs ISO 21001: EU product safety mark for market access vs ed mgmt system boosting learner outcomes. Key diffs, reqs & benefits. Dive in now!
K-PIPA vs AS9120B
Discover K-PIPA vs AS9120B: Korea's strict privacy law meets aerospace distributor QMS. Key differences, compliance strategies, risks & tips for global ops. Master both now!
APPI vs TOGAF
Compare APPI vs TOGAF: Japan's privacy law for data protection vs enterprise architecture framework. Master compliance strategies, governance & implementation. Dive in!