𝘈𝘱𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘹 𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘥 𝘵𝘪𝘮𝘦: 4 𝘮𝘪𝘯𝘴🕒
Health and safety is all about protecting people. So, to do that effectively, organisations must ensure that every employee can access, understand and act on critical information.
And, as workforces continue to become more multilingual, translation becomes a requirement.
According to UNESCO’s World Atlas of Languages, there are 7,000 languages, spoken or signed, in use in the world today, although only a relatively small number are used across international business environments.
It’s important to remember that when health and safety materials and workplace policies are communicated in an employee's preferred language, organisations are better positioned to make sure all members of staff are fully aware of expectations and responsibilities.
Translation is the process of converting the meaning of a written message (text) from one language to another. When it’s done accurately, it strengthens safety outcomes across every level.
Recent research indicates that nearly three-quarters (73%) of global enterprises are already translating training content to improve learning outcomes and employee performance. (RWS, 2024)
But how exactly does translation support health and safety outcomes?
This blog will:
- Explore how translation enables accurate incident reporting
- Show how it improves the quality of safety data
- Explain its role in reducing workplace accidents
- Highlight how it supports compliance and reduces risk
- Outline the importance of localisation in safety training
Supporting accurate incident reporting
Firstly, translation supports health and safety outcomes by enabling accurate incident reporting.
Many roles in manufacturing and construction involve operating machinery or responding to emergencies, so employees must be able to quickly and accurately follow instructions. Effective safety management relies on accurate reporting. However, employees who are unsure how to express concerns in a second language may avoid reporting hazards altogether.
Research indicates that non-native speakers are significantly less comfortable raising safety concerns in the workplace, and a survey of more than 600 industrial workers conducted by Vector Solutions found that non-native English speakers were 127% more likely to report feeling uncomfortable reporting workplace hazards than native English speakers.
If reporting processes, forms and communication channels are available in multiple languages, employees are more likely to speak up, leading to faster intervention and improved outcomes.
Improving the quality of safety data
Incident reports require detailed descriptions of events and contributing factors. Therefore, when employees complete these in a language that’s not their first, key details can be missed – delaying investigations and making it harder to implement strong improvements.
Providing translated forms and multilingual reporting tools allows employees to communicate more clearly and confidently.
This leads to measurable improvements across safety processes, including:
- More complete incident reports
- Faster and more efficient investigations
- Greater consistency in data collection across teams and locations
- Improved identification of recurring risks and hazard patterns
- Stronger evidence for compliance
As a result, you’ll gain more accurate data and a stronger foundation for proactive risk management.
Reducing workplace accidents
What might happen if employees don’t fully understand equipment guidelines or hazard warnings?
The likelihood of accidents increases.
Translating key instruction manuals also helps to reinforce correct behaviours daily, so that safety procedures are followed consistently rather than interpreted differently across teams.
In this way, translation acts as a key safety measure, supporting not only immediate understanding, but also long-term risk reduction across the organisation.
Strengthening compliance
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration states that employers must provide training “in a language and vocabulary that workers can understand.”
This places clear responsibility on organisations to ensure communication is accessible.
Without translated materials, organisations struggle to demonstrate compliance during inspections or audits (which can potentially lead to penalties or legal exposure).
Translation helps limit these risks by:
- Ensuring all employees fully understand safety policies and procedures
- Providing clear, auditable evidence that training has been delivered effectively
- Supporting consistency across multilingual teams and global locations
- Reducing the likelihood of non-compliance due to misunderstanding
- Strengthening overall governance and accountability
By making safety communication accessible to all, you are much better equipped to meet regulatory requirements with confidence, while protecting both their workforce and their reputation.
Why should you also consider localisation?
Studies also show that nearly 65% of employees demonstrate higher knowledge retention when training content is localized for their language and cultural context (Global Growth Insights, 2026).
Localisation helps employees engage with materials in a way that reflects their language, workplace contexts and learning preferences. This is particularly important for training materials, e-learning modules and safety campaigns, where engagement and comprehension are key.
How Wolfestone can support you:
To support organisations in achieving safer, more compliant workplaces, Wolfestone provides expert language solutions tailored to diverse workforces.
As an award-winning language service provider with over 19 years experience, we help businesses translate and localise critical safety materials resulting in consistent communication across every level of the organisation.
Contact us today to find out how we can support your health and safety communications.
Isabelle writes about translation, localisation and multilingual language solutions for Wolfestone. She holds a Master's degree in Journalism, Media and Communications from Cardiff University School of Journalism, and enjoys exploring how language, culture and technology come together to help brands connect confidently with global audiences.
