Escaping From the Translation Maze

In this episode, we welcome Doug Strock, Vice President of Global Language Translations and Consulting who shares his extensive insights into the complexities of global hazard communication through translation. The conversation covers strategies for effective communication across a multilingual workforce, the challenges faced by non-English speakers, and real-world examples where translation issues impacted safety and compliance. Doug also discusses the role of AI in translation, its benefits and limitations, and the importance of human oversight. The episode concludes with best practices for vetting language service providers, ensuring translation accuracy, and managing large-scale SDS translation projects.00:00 Introduction and Guest Introduction01:09 Challenges in Global Hazard Communication04:24 Real-World Examples of Translation Issues06:56 Measuring Effectiveness of Translated Materials11:18 AI and Machine Translation in Safety Documents20:12 Choosing the Right Translation Provider26:44 Testing Vendor Responses27:28 Regulatory References and Linguistic Testing28:29 International Standards for SDS Translations30:16 Challenges with ATA Certification34:32 Best Practices for SDS Translation Requests38:21 Managing Large Scale SDS Translation Projects43:52 Balancing Cost and Quality in Translation Services47:22 Integrating SDS Translation with Document Needs50:01 The Role of AI in Translation Services51:21 Conclusion and Contact Information