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Coen34782  
#1 Posted : 11 April 2014 11:13:09(UTC)
Rank: Forum user
Coen34782

Dear All I have just been informed we have a large number of Polish speaking workers arriving on site soon to work. Does anyone have any polish / english safety signs booklets or signs etc that they could forward me that i could use. Any help what so ever will be much appreciated. Kind regards Claire
Geoff 1954  
#2 Posted : 11 April 2014 11:41:29(UTC)
Rank: Forum user
Geoff 1954

Claire, The HSE have a lot. http://www.hse.gov.uk/languages/polish/ Hope this helps Geoff
wjforsyth  
#3 Posted : 11 April 2014 11:50:21(UTC)
Rank: Forum user
wjforsyth

Hi we have a high labour turnover of Polish Agency workers , we kept on one of these (very good worker ) and i now use him to translate inductions etc . very reassuring to know your points have been understood .
bluebottle34  
#4 Posted : 11 April 2014 12:32:25(UTC)
Rank: New forum user
bluebottle34

Hi Clare Do you use the online sign maker http://www.online-sign.com/ at all? I regularly use this to create specific text in signs and print on A4 adhesive vinyl paper as required. You could use an online translator (e.g. http://www.poltran.com/) to add translated (English-Polish) text to whatever sign you make. Tony
A Kurdziel  
#5 Posted : 11 April 2014 12:52:52(UTC)
Rank: Super forum user
A Kurdziel

http://www.hse.gov.uk/pu...ur-step-construction.pdf here's a basic HSE leaflet for construction workers in Polish
bob youel  
#6 Posted : 11 April 2014 13:08:15(UTC)
Rank: Super forum user
bob youel

get a formal translator in as well as anything else may not be seen as suitable and sufficient
peter gotch  
#7 Posted : 11 April 2014 13:10:44(UTC)
Rank: Super forum user
peter gotch

Claire You might find that they speak and read English well enough. According to an EC report, 34% of Poles were proficient in English to a "conversational level" in 2012. The % of those working in the UK is probably much higher. The few Polish tradesmen that we've used have all been fluent.
Cerith  
#8 Posted : 11 April 2014 14:07:42(UTC)
Rank: Forum user
Cerith

Just be careful with translations. I remember a sign translated into Welsh, and erected. It said something along the lines of "No-one in the office at present, we will get back to you as soon as we can", which was the automated reply!
Coen34782  
#9 Posted : 12 April 2014 09:48:48(UTC)
Rank: Forum user
Coen34782

Thanks to everyone for taking the time out to reply to my message. I have created a poster which shows the most commonly used safety signs on site and i have had them translated into Polish. The Risk Assessments shall be briefed to the workers prior to the commencing work. Thanks again Claire
allanwood  
#10 Posted : 14 April 2014 10:55:40(UTC)
Rank: Forum user
allanwood

The UKCG used to have (may still be available) a multi lingual induction DVD which can be very useful in these situations.
stevedm  
#11 Posted : 14 April 2014 16:30:41(UTC)
Rank: Super forum user
stevedm

Just be careful with your translations.....I once had a very embarrassing moment when manual handling was a little more personal that it should have been... :) It did break the ice tho'...
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