Translation and interpretation during the SDS transition

Translation and interpretation a major concern during the SDS transition; but, don’t worry, TLC can help!

If you are involved in Chemical Manufacturing you are likely in the midst of changing and reorganizing all Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDSs) to the new Safety Data Sheets (SDSs) format. Did you know TLC can help with this transition in multiple ways?

Having SDSs translated into other languages will be essential not only to increase your international business transactions, but also to provide a safer and more productive environment for your employees.

Many countries have regulations requiring that SDSs be in the official language of the target country. This responsibility is on the entity that places the product for sale in the particular market (i.e. manufacturer or distributor). If you currently have international clients, or are hoping to build this clientele, it is important to use professional translation services to ensure quality and safety. By using Teneo Linguistics Company you will have the benefit of quality assurance according to our ISO certified processes (and a 30-day free post-delivery guarantee), fantastic customer service, and computer-assisted translation tools that use “translation memory” to help us leverage past translations and make  it easy for us to produce highly technical documents quickly, accurately, and at a reduced cost!

Even if your business does not span the globe it’s important to provide safety information to your employees in their native language. Providing clear instructions that every employee understands can reduce the risk of injury and dangerous behaviors thus increasing productivity and reducing injury costs to you, the employer.  Also, it is a key responsibility of employers to make known the chemical hazards and safety precautions about the chemicals that employees are exposed to (if you’re unaware of this responsibility it may be helpful to look into the OSHA’s Hazard Communication Standard Right-to-know provision).

Another incredible way that TLC can assist you in this transition to SDS format is by providing interpreters for training employees. Since all chemical manufacturers and distributors will have to complete reclassification of chemicals and reformatting labels to SDS format by June 1, 2015, there will be a need to retrain employees on new precautions and hazards. For your employees with limited proficiency in English (LEPs) we can provide high quality interpreters to assist you in this transition.

For more details on the new requirements for SDSs (formerly MSDSs) go to the link below.

OSHA Quick Card data sheet about SDSs: https://www.osha.gov/Publications/HazComm_QuickCard_SafetyData.html