Technical Translation of MSDSs

A material safety data sheet (MSDS) is a document designed to provide employees with the necessary information to safely use a chemical or mixture The document also contains information regarding emergency procedures and possible hazards of the product as well as how to use, store and handle it. The intent of a MSDS is to communicate how to safely use the product, how to handle an accident should it occur, and how to recognize signs of overexposure.

Technical translation is the process of translating a technical document, such as a safety data sheet or a workplace label, from one language into another. By using technical translation services instead of a dictionary translation, you can ensure that the proper terms and correct connotations are being used in the document. Technical translation services are very useful in the European Union because of the vast number of languages being used. If an industrial product is to be used in more than one member state, the safety data sheet must be available in each state in the official language of that country. Using technical translation services for your documents will guarantee that each employee in contact with the document will be able to interpret the information accurately in a time of need.

When translating technical documents such as a Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS) note that straight translations may lead to a non-compliant document. MSDSs need to be authored to be compliant of the laws of the jurisdiction in which it is to be used, so often direct translations are infeasible. For example, you cannot simply take a U.S. compliant MSDS and translate it into Danish and have a document which is compliant in Denmark. Sometime, rather than translating your company’s MSDS, it is prudent to take the existing document and author a new set of MSDSs that is compliant in the necessary jurisdictions and in the necessary languages. It is also important to note that using a machine translation program is not an appropriate to translate documents of this nature. Errors in translating labels, instruction, or safety precautions could lead to regulatory, product or civil liability. In addition, an incorrect translation could be misinterpreted, leading to a possible misuse of the product and physical or property damage.

Why must a Technical Translation be authored?

In order to have a document fully compliant in a certain country it must be translated to the corresponding languages of that country. However a document usually cannot be directly translated from one language to another. A straight translation is not recommended in most cases, whether it is an MSDS, industrial/consumer label review, or any other chemical document, as it may lead to a non-complaint document. One suggestion every Compliance Specialist would give is to perform a Technical Translation.

Technical Translation of documents such as chemical regulatory documents is done in order to maintain the quality and integrity of the original document. For example Material Safety Data Sheets/ Safety Data Sheets (MSDSs/SDSs) need to be authored for compliance with the laws of the jurisdiction in which it is to be used, so often a direct translation is infeasible. For example, you cannot simply take a U.S. compliant MSDS and translate it into a Danish SDS and have a document which is compliant in Denmark. Therefore in order for a document to be fully compliant in a new jurisdiction a Technical Translation is a must.

MSDS regulations in many countries are evolving to enable globalization of standards. When translating chemical products to various languages, one must meet the standards of all countries that each language is spoken in, in order to maximize your investment in Technical Translation services. The company or office in charge of the Technical Translation needs to have a team of linguists and subject matter experts with proven experience in toxicology and chemical safety.