Rank: Super forum user 
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Hi, how do you cover induction talks to non English speaking workers. We have a well writted induction but for the first time an audit has marked us down for not considering non English speakers. If we are notified of the language needed we can do something but when we are not notified we don't have a crystal ball. I once had 5 eastern European labourers on site, one spoke English and he relayed the information to the other 4. Thanks.
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Rank: Super forum user 
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What were they auditing against? What does the standard say you should be doing to fully engage all of your employees including those for whom English is a second language? Does that standard recognise that there is not just one non-English language? East European is not a language.
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 2 users thanked A Kurdziel for this useful post.
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Rank: Super forum user
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Thanks, the auditors are very strict and pick up on anything they can. They work for the Client. The point they make about catering for non English speakers ends with If Required, 1 % point deducted. There are no non English speakers on site.
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Rank: Super forum user
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And you wonder why H&S has such a poor reputation!
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1 user thanked A Kurdziel for this useful post.
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Rank: Super forum user 
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Tell them you communicate using the medium of semaphore, then flap your arms around, they'll never know the difference
I don't know why people get het-up with auditors, just argue the toss with them, you are allowed to challenge them
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2 users thanked Clark34486 for this useful post.
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Rank: Super forum user
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...seriously...health and safety gets a bad name......is that not a breach of forum rules - prejudice.?...poor advice guys...I would make the same finding on any site that employs workers who's first language is not english...there are several HSE web pages dedicated to it for the employees and the employers...this is the same if your inductee has difficulties in understanding ragardless of language...
The same laws apply...so no it isn't just health and safety gone mad it is to ensure you keep the employees safe and they follow the rules to ensure thier protection on site...if I handed you a Russian, Serbian or Hungarian induction test would you be able to complete it..? I know some of you voted for Brexit but come on guys...
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Rank: Super forum user
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As always, I don't work in construction and therefore this doesn't effect me as much. We have a policy that good English is a must to work here. I don't see this as discrimatory, since we still employ a cross-section of people. However, we do have pictorial versions of our most basic risk assessments/SOPs for those that struggle with the reading and writing of English.
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Rank: Super forum user
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Speaking personally I could probably do an induction in Polish but the issue here is the fact that the “auditor”( I am using quote marks on purpose) is obviously not auditing against any sort of published standard; they are just looking for things to note and to justify in their audit. I would expect the published standard to say something like: “The employer is to ensure that all training, instruction and information (including any workplace induction) is provided in a format that can be understood by all employees. This would take into account: - People whose first language is not English
- People who have some cognitive issues such as dyslexia
- People who have a sensory impairment such as limited vision or hearing problems
- People who have limited literary skills
- Etc
To this the employer should look at a variety of ways of conveying the relevant Health and Safety information including: - Pictures and cartoons
- Braille
- Instructions on audiotape
- Instructions including inductions in the appropriate foreign language
- Etc
The employer should assess what is the best form of H&S communications for their staff and plan and organise accordingly This assessment should be reviewed periodically to ensure that the appropriate means of communications of H&S issues are being used This process should be documented as required under this standard” Not hard is it.
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Rank: Super forum user 
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ISO 45001 does have a couple of things to say about this:
"The organization shall take into account diversity aspects (e.g. gender, language, culture, literacy, disability) when considering its communcation needs."
It also has to "determine and remove obstacles or barriers to participation and minimize those that cannot be removed" (explicitly including language barriers)
Now if you don't and won't have any non-English speakers (for example some employers make English language skills a requirement at the recruitment stage) it wouldn't be required under this standard (you would just have to be able to explain why these aspects and obstacles didn't exist for you).
Edited by user 06 March 2020 13:33:23(UTC)
| Reason: poor tuping skulls
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1 user thanked Kate for this useful post.
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Rank: Super forum user 
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The ISO audits are all about systems, surely all you need is to have a process where if there were to be a non-English speaking person starting work with you that you would have a plan of action (procedure) to deal with it. Ie HR tells someone before they are due to start, induction can then get translated in appropriate language, how you would manage with normal work communication etc. If you have a process to deal with this, they will have a hard time marking you down. Of course, this will only ever be used “If required”. Chris
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1 user thanked chris42 for this useful post.
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Rank: Super forum user
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Why not keep it simple, e.g. "We do not currently employ anyone whose knowledge of the English language is not adequate for them to understand any instructions, training or information necessary for them to work safely. Were we to employ someone whose knowledge of English was not adequate then appropriate action would be taken to ensure that all relevant instruction, information and guidance was available in the appropriate language."
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1 user thanked chris.packham for this useful post.
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Rank: Super forum user 
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You could copy your existing site induction info and drop the whole lot into one of the many online translation services. You could then have them translated into as many languages as you like and printed out in a matter of minutes. Okay, they may not be word perfect for the language purists, but they should be good enough to get your points across (and if you DO happen to get some good multi-linguals on site at any time, they may be able to point out the bits that aren't quite right so you can correct them and achieve perfection). Box ticked....
Edited by user 06 March 2020 15:51:44(UTC)
| Reason: Not specified
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Rank: Super forum user
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For foreign workers it is not simply a case of translating the language: it is also about getting the culture across. In many parts of the world it is simply assumed that that is solely the employees responsibility to keep themselves safe and the employer does not take any responsibility themselves (Volenti non fit iniuria taken to extremes) other places there tends to be a fatalistic approach based on the idea that what happens, happens and there is nothing we can actively do about it. So you need to emphases is that in the UK it is essentially a partnership between the employer and employee and both have duties and responsibilities.
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1 user thanked A Kurdziel for this useful post.
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