| Health and safety is a daily part of modern life | | | | ability to communicate in English? And how will you |
| and an ever increasing part our working lives. In | | | | prove that they are reducing their language |
| the UK you have a wide range of standard | | | | abilities? Incidences of similar abuse already occur |
| documents such as method statements, risk | | | | with native workers do they not? |
| assessments COSSH assessments, Health and | | | | With these issues in mind, will your insurance |
| Safety Manuals etc. | | | | company start to question your policies in regards |
| Often when you purchase machinery or a | | | | language translation? The question must be when |
| substance you will find it originated in another | | | | will this issue become serious enough for them to |
| country made by people who speak a different | | | | require action. |
| language. But it will (or should) come with | | | | They only true way to avoid this is to consider |
| instructions for usage in the language of its | | | | language translation as part of the initial |
| destination country. Such technical manuals will no | | | | employment cost of migrant workers and as part |
| doubt have been translated into possibly many | | | | of the health and safety audit. If you cannot be |
| languages. This will have been completed with the | | | | sure that your employee can read documents |
| assistance of a translation agency. | | | | related to the health and safety parts of their job |
| However, people now migrate between countries | | | | you will need to have a translation available in their |
| more then ever. We need only look at the | | | | language. |
| migration in the EU. For example we have Polish | | | | Likewise, if they are to be given any interactive |
| people arriving into Britain and workers from the | | | | training, interpreting will be required if language |
| Ukraine now replacing them in Poland. People are | | | | levels are not high enough. For the larger business |
| on the move. | | | | it might be possible to give additional health and |
| Businesses are using this migration of skill and or | | | | safety training to a member of staff who can |
| cheap labour. But often the migrant worker will | | | | speak in these other languages and ensure they |
| speak limited amounts of the new language(when | | | | both receive the translations and understand any |
| they arrive) and read / write it this new tongue | | | | training given. They can then assist or manage |
| even less. This causes potential health and safety | | | | the training of these new staff. |
| issues if not considered and addressed. This is | | | | As stated at the beginning on this article, |
| where language translations should be considered. | | | | equipment manuals are often translated into many |
| Under English law a person is deemed to have | | | | languages. On this basis you may be able to |
| read something if they have signed it. But surely | | | | obtain copies of manuals with translations into the |
| we enter a grey area if the person can obviously | | | | languages of your migrant team. These |
| not read in the language? | | | | translations should be a consideration on future |
| This is a larger concern to directors and business | | | | pre-purchase discussions. |
| owners as they now can be made personally | | | | Some readers may be dismissing the above |
| responsible for such issues as 'corporate | | | | statements. If that is the case, visit the HSE's |
| manslaughter'. | | | | (Health & Safety Executive) website and you |
| We must also consider the growing 'claims culture'. | | | | will see that they already show translations of |
| After an incident could your migrant worker, | | | | various documents into 28 languages! |
| Motivated by a large pay-out, suddenly lose their | | | | |