Standards Comparison

    OSHA

    Mandatory
    1970

    US federal regulation assuring workplace safety standards

    VS

    K-PIPA

    Mandatory
    2011

    South Korea's regulation for personal data protection

    Quick Verdict

    OSHA ensures safe US workplaces through hazard standards and inspections, while K-PIPA protects Korean personal data via consent and breach rules. Companies adopt OSHA for legal compliance and injury reduction; K-PIPA for privacy trust and market access.

    Occupational Safety

    OSHA

    Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970

    Cost
    €€€€
    Complexity
    High
    Implementation Time
    12-18 months

    Key Features

    • Mandates safe workplaces via OSH Act of 1970
    • General Duty Clause targets recognized serious hazards
    • Hierarchy of controls prioritizes engineering over PPE
    • Risk-based inspections focus on imminent dangers
    • Requires electronic injury reporting through ITA
    Data Privacy

    K-PIPA

    Personal Information Protection Act

    Cost
    €€€€
    Complexity
    High
    Implementation Time
    12-18 months

    Key Features

    • Mandatory Chief Privacy Officer appointment
    • Granular explicit consent requirements
    • 72-hour breach notifications to subjects
    • Extraterritorial reach for foreign entities
    • Fines up to 3% annual revenue

    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) enforces the OSH Act of 1970, a federal regulation establishing workplace safety standards in 29 CFR 1910 for general industry. Its primary purpose is assuring safe, healthful conditions via standards enforcement, inspections, and hazard reduction. Key approach: performance-based standards with General Duty Clause for uncodified hazards and hierarchy of controls.

    Key Components

    • Subparts A-Z covering surfaces, PPE, HazCom, LOTO, toxic substances.
    • Over 1,000 standards; core principles include employer/employee duties, recordkeeping (OSHA 300/300A/301), electronic reporting (ITA).
    • Compliance model: inspections, citations, penalties up to $165K for willful violations; no certification, but voluntary VPP recognition.

    Why Organizations Use It

    Legal mandate reduces injuries, penalties, litigation; strategic benefits include lower insurance, productivity gains, ESG alignment. Builds stakeholder trust via transparency.

    Implementation Overview

    Systems-based: hazard assessments, written programs (IIPP), training, engineering controls. Applies to most US employers; scalable by size/industry; ongoing audits, no formal certification.

    K-PIPA Details

    What It Is

    Personal Information Protection Act (K-PIPA) is South Korea's flagship data protection regulation, enacted in 2011 with key amendments in 2020, 2023, and 2024. It safeguards personal information of residents via consent-centric, risk-based approach, covering collection, use, transfer, and destruction by domestic and foreign entities targeting Koreans.

    Key Components

    • Principles: transparency, purpose limitation, data minimization, accountability.
    • Obligations: mandatory Chief Privacy Officer (CPO), granular consents, encryption/access controls, data subject rights (access, rectification, erasure, portability within 10 days).
    • Breach notifications (72 hours), cross-border transfer rules; enforced by PIPC with fines to 3% revenue.

    Why Organizations Use It

    • Mandatory for compliance amid high fines (e.g., Google KRW 70B).
    • Mitigates risks, builds trust, enables EU adequacy flows.
    • Enhances reputation, supports innovation via pseudonymization.

    Implementation Overview

    • Phased: gap analysis, CPO appointment, technical safeguards, training, audits.
    • Applies universally to data handlers; no certification but PIPC oversight.

    Key Differences

    Scope

    OSHA
    Workplace safety and health hazards
    K-PIPA
    Personal data protection and privacy

    Industry

    OSHA
    All US industries, general/construction
    K-PIPA
    All sectors processing Korean data

    Nature

    OSHA
    Mandatory US federal regulations
    K-PIPA
    Mandatory Korean data protection law

    Testing

    OSHA
    OSHA inspections and audits
    K-PIPA
    PIPC investigations and audits

    Penalties

    OSHA
    Civil fines up to $165K per violation
    K-PIPA
    Fines up to 3% revenue or KRW 3B

    Frequently Asked Questions

    Common questions about OSHA and K-PIPA

    OSHA FAQ

    K-PIPA FAQ

    You Might also be Interested in These Articles...

    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.

    100+ Standards & Regulations
    AI-Powered Insights
    Collaborative Assessments
    Actionable Recommendations

    Check out these other Gradum.io Standards Comparison Pages