Should pesticide labels be bilingual?

March 31, 2011 By

Several farm worker interest groups are petitioning the EPA to require manufacturers to translate their pesticide labels to Spanish. The groups’ goal is to increase protection for farm works that apply agricultural pesticides.

The EPA is currently debating the issue and calling for public comment in the decision-making process. The EPA says in a press release that they recognize the decision will affect all consumers, not just farm workers. Currently, the EPA requires translation of some words or phrases of agricultural pesticides, but does not require bilingual labeling on all products.

The EPA comments:

In response to the petition, EPA is considering whether to require bilingual labeling in English and Spanish for all pesticides or for only certain types of pesticides, certain pesticide use sites, certain pesticide active ingredients, pesticides in certain toxicity categories, or certain parts of pesticide labels.

This decision will be up for public comment until June 28, 2011. Information on the petition and how to participate can be found here.

Here are 3 questions the EPA asks the general public to consider:

  1. Language characteristics vary by culture, region, and other factors. How could EPA ensure that Spanish text on pesticide product labels would be understood by all potential Spanish-speaking users?
  2. Labeling in Spanish could potentially be required for all pesticide products, for a subset of pesticide products, or for a portion of the product label. If the Agency concluded that translation of a portion or portions of the label were appropriate, which portions of the pesticide label would it be most beneficial to have in Spanish, and why? If the Agency were to limit the requirement for translation to only certain products, which products should be considered, and why? (Note: please see the sample label in the docket to consider the different sections of a pesticide label.
  3. Are there languages other than Spanish and English that EPA should consider for inclusion on pesticide labels? Which languages? Please explain your reasoning for including a language other than Spanish or English on pesticide labels, and cite documents that would further bolster your suggestion.
Filed Under: Immigrant workforce, Safety, Translation

ETIP Funds—What are they? And how can I use them?

March 29, 2011 By

Have you ever wished your Limited English Proficient (LEP) employees could learn the functional English they need to do their jobs more safely, efficiently and comprehensively? That you could cross-train your LEP employees, putting them on the path to promotion?

Investing in your workforce is a crucial business practice. Employee Training Investment Program (ETIP) funds are a great way to subsidize on-site vocational language training. To procure ETIP funds, you must be in a funding-eligible category and pay a percentage of all training costs, including books, instruction, materials and wage reimbursement.

In addition to vocational, technical or remedial skills training, ETIP providers are a great source of free training for innovative technology best practices, embracing lean principles, expanding into new markets and preparing for ownership or management succession.

For more information about ETIP funding in Illinois or your home state, please contact Hilary Hodge, Director of Programs, at hilary@workforcelang.com.

Filed Under: Uncategorized Tagged With: , , , ,

Rebelling Against Spain, This Time With Words

March 17, 2011 By

The Gershwin brothers likely never imagined that “You like tomato, I like tomahto” would appear in a New York Times article on Spanish orthographic changes, but apparently the Royal Spanish Academy’s (RSA) decision to eliminate two letters from the Spanish alphabet has prompted folks to don their roller skates like Fred and Ginger and burst into song. The explanation for this change, among other spelling updates, can be found in an 800-page document that has sparked significant controversy for imposing change from above, though not unilaterally, as the author notes:

“To its credit, the academy takes pains to emphasize that it works collaboratively with its associated academies in 21 other Spanish-speaking countries, including in the United States.”

The decisions of the Madrid-based RSA (founded in 1713) influence Spanish grammar across the globe, though the world’s 450 million Spanish-speaker may choose not to pay attention – citing George and Ira Gershwin or other reasons. It’s no easy task to oversee a language spoken by so many – and even rule changes that would ultimately simplify the language may be rejected. A language in the mouths of its speakers is a living, changing thing that often prefers to follow its own path than align itself with the rules established across the ocean.

Filed Under: Uncategorized

One Nation Under English

March 16, 2011 By

It’s not news that monolingualism is the norm in the United States; fewer than 20% of Americans speak more than one language. In a recent article, CIASeeks Anyone, Anyone Who Can Speak 2 Languages, Jeremy Hsu notes that the lack of second- and third-language speakers in the US – especially of those languages of interest to the CIA and Foreign Service – has prompted government agencies to recruit college students based on language learning potential, rather than on actual skills. A new government program is in development to help agencies like the CIA, who are looking to increase its pool of speakers of languages such as Arabic, Dari, Pashtu, Persian, Urdu and Russian. The challenge? Figuring out how to predict which students hold the most promise. Studies of multilingual speakers are providing insight:

“Another surprise came from studies of Spanish-speaking immigrants, because neither age nor language proficiency seemed to predict how quickly the immigrants picked up English. Instead, the fastest learners showed both the greatest motivation to learn and a willingness to use English at every opportunity despite being bad at it (at first).”

Hsu also notes that it’s not just government agencies who are recruiting multilingual speakers, but US-based corporations who understand that, in the era of globalization, linguistic and cultural competence go a long way.>A bit of motivation and the willingness to put your foot in your mouth from time to time can be a powerful combination in developing the language skills your country – and perhaps your next job – depend on. And if it helps you order a drink or ask for directions on your next international vacation, that’s not a bad thing, either!

Filed Under: Global business, Global languages

Top Ten Most Cited OSHA Standards: How can you Prevent these Infractions?

March 11, 2011 By

What’s the easiest way to prevent citation and penalties during an OSHA worksite inspection? According to OSHA, in fiscal year 2010, the ten most commonly cited standards were improperly implemented:

1. Scaffolding

2. Fall Protection

3. Hazard Communication

4. Respiratory Protection

5. Ladder Use

6. Lockout/ Tagout Procedures

7. Electrical and Wiring Methods

8. Powered Industrial Trucks

9. General Electrical Requirements

10. Machine Guarding

Far too many preventable injuries occur due to the failure to properly implement these standards. A great way to avoid these infractions is to translate your employee manuals and safety materials into the languages most commonly spoken in your worksite. You can also bring an on-site language trainer to go over the OSHA procedures in a simplified English training for your Limited English Proficient (LEP) employees.

Workforce Language Services offers translations in 50+ languages as well as on-site English and Spanish vocational training. Contact Hilary Hodge, Director or Programs, for more information hilary@workforcelang.com.

Filed Under: Education, Immigrant workforce, Language Policy, Safety, Uncategorized Tagged With: , , ,
Click the logos below to learn more about our Multilingual programs:
                               
2934 N. Milwaukee Avenue, Chicago, IL 60618 | (773) 292-5500 • ©2012 Multilingual Connections, LLC. All rights reserved.
Google+