OSHA
U.S. regulation assuring safe workplace conditions nationwide
ISO 56002
International guidance for innovation management systems
Quick Verdict
OSHA mandates workplace safety compliance through enforced standards and inspections for US employers, while ISO 56002 offers voluntary guidance for building innovation management systems globally. Organizations adopt OSHA to avoid penalties; ISO 56002 to systematize innovation.
OSHA
Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970
Key Features
- Enforces General Duty Clause for recognized hazards
- Mandates hierarchy of controls for hazard mitigation
- Requires injury/illness recordkeeping and electronic reporting
- Prioritizes inspections by imminent danger and severity
- Supports state plans with equivalent or stricter standards
ISO 56002
ISO 56002:2019 Innovation management system guidance
Key Features
- PDCA cycle for IMS structure and improvement
- Future-focused leadership and commitment requirements
- Full innovation lifecycle operational guidance
- Balanced portfolio and risk management
- Performance evaluation with KPIs and audits
Detailed Analysis
A comprehensive look at the specific requirements, scope, and impact of each standard.
OSHA Details
What It Is
Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), established by the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970, is a U.S. federal regulation enforcing workplace safety and health standards. Its primary purpose is assuring safe conditions by reducing hazards through standards, enforcement, and cooperative programs. Scope covers general industry (29 CFR 1910), construction (1926), maritime, agriculture. Key approach: risk-based enforcement via General Duty Clause and hierarchy of controls.
Key Components
- Organized into subparts addressing hazards (e.g., PPE, HazCom, LOTO, recordkeeping Part 1904).
- Core principles: specific standards precedence, performance-based requirements, worker rights.
- Hundreds of standards; no formal certification but mandatory compliance with inspections, penalties.
Why Organizations Use It
Legal mandate prevents fines (up to $165K willful), reduces injuries/costs, lowers insurance premiums. Enhances reputation, productivity, ESG alignment; mitigates litigation risks.
Implementation Overview
Phased: gap analysis, written programs (IIPP), training, engineering controls. Applies to most U.S. employers; state plans may add stringency. Ongoing audits, electronic reporting via ITA.
ISO 56002 Details
What It Is
ISO 56002:2019 is an international guidance standard titled Innovation management — Innovation management system — Guidance. It offers a non-prescriptive framework for organizations to establish, implement, maintain, and improve an Innovation Management System (IMS), applicable across sizes, sectors, and innovation types. Structured on the PDCA cycle, it emphasizes strategic alignment, leadership, and value realization.
Key Components
- Seven clauses (4-10): context, leadership, planning, support, operation, performance evaluation, improvement
- Eight principles: value realization, future-focused leaders, strategic direction, culture, insights exploitation, uncertainty management, adaptability, systems thinking
- Portfolio governance, stage-gates, KPIs; aligns with ISO High-Level Structure for integration
- No fixed controls; voluntary conformity, supports ISO 56001 certification path
Why Organizations Use It
- Converts ad-hoc innovation into measurable strategic capability
- Mitigates risks like project failures, resource waste
- Boosts competitiveness, ROI, stakeholder trust
- Enables pragmatic SME adoption, cultural shift
Implementation Overview
- Phased: diagnosis (PII), design, pilot (3-9 months), scale (9-18 months), sustain
- Leadership workshops, tooling (idea platforms), audits/reviews
- All organizations; lightweight for SMEs; optional external audits
Key Differences
| Aspect | OSHA | ISO 56002 |
|---|---|---|
| Scope | Workplace safety, health standards, enforcement | Innovation management system guidance |
| Industry | All US industries, general/construction/agriculture | All organizations/sectors globally |
| Nature | Mandatory US federal regulations, enforced | Voluntary international guidance framework |
| Testing | Inspections, recordkeeping audits, compliance checks | Internal audits, management reviews, assessments |
| Penalties | Civil fines up to $165k, criminal for willful | No penalties, loss of certification optional |
Scope
Industry
Nature
Testing
Penalties
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about OSHA and ISO 56002
OSHA FAQ
ISO 56002 FAQ
You Might also be Interested in These Articles...

CMMC Level 3 Implementation Guide: Integrating NIST SP 800-172 Enhanced Controls for APT Defense
Step-by-step CMMC Level 3 guide for DIB contractors. Implement 24 NIST SP 800-172 controls on Level 2. Prep for DIBCAC, C3PAO scoping & 180-day POA&Ms. Boost cy

CMMC Scoping Mastery for Defense Supply Chains: Enclave Mapping, Subcontractor Flow-Down, and CUI Inventory Blueprint
Master CMMC scoping for DIB: delineate FCI/CUI boundaries, segment enclaves, manage subcontractor flow-down. Prevent 80% assessment failures with SSP templates,

Asset-Backed Issuers and SEC Cybersecurity Rules: Applicability, Disclosures, and Compliance Roadmap
How SEC cybersecurity rules apply to asset-backed issuers (ABS): Form 10-D disclosures, ABS-EE risk management, Inline XBRL tagging, exemptions. Roadmap for tru
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
PRINCE2 vs ISO 14064
PRINCE2 vs ISO 14064: Compare structured project governance (7 principles, practices, processes) with GHG standards for emissions tracking & verification. Boost compliance & sustainability—explore key differences now!
AEO vs PDPA
Discover AEO vs PDPA: Authorized Economic Operator for secure trade facilitation vs Personal Data Protection Act for privacy compliance. Key differences, benefits & strategies revealed.
NIST 800-171 vs SAMA CSF
Discover NIST 800-171 vs SAMA CSF: US DoD CUI controls meet Saudi financial cyber standards. Compare families, maturity models, compliance for resilient security now.