We probably all understand why regulatory organisations set and enforce minimum levels of English language skills for all foreign doctors and nurses in the UK – and that English language requirements exist for all pilots and air traffic controllers worldwide. They all use English as the medium of communication for their work, their work environments are high-risk and safety-critical - and safety at work, in every aspect, is always paramount, right?

If this is true, then perhaps we should be asking ourselves why language benchmarks are not required by UK industry. Why, indeed, are language assessments only mandatory in environments where the workforce generally possess higher-level language skills?  Does this mean that staff with lower levels of English, are somehow actually less at risk than more advanced speakers?  Are they somehow less likely to encounter workplace hazards resulting from verbal misunderstandings, lack of comprehension of warning signs, failure to understand safety instructions, inductions and all their mandatory HSE training?

Surely the risk of misunderstandings caused by language difficulties in dangerous physical environments such as factories and warehouses are, if anything, greater for staff with basic or very limited English language skills?  

In the period 2021/2022 there were over half a million non-fatal injuries in UK workplaces, according to the Health and Safety Executive, with more than 80% of the injuries resulting in staff being absent for more than 7 days. Tragically, there were also 123 fatalities. Aside from the enormous human impact, the average cost of a workplace fatality or life-altering accident is now estimated to be over £1 million for each instance.

These accident statistics are set within a context where EU-born nationals currently make up 11-15% of the workforce in UK factories and warehouses, according to the latest 2022 report published by the Migration Observatory (Oxford University).   Non-native speakers who work in English within safety-critical industries in the UK alone represent over a million workers, including: Manufacturing (485,000), Construction (266,000) and Transport (371,000).

Where multinational workforces are commonplace, but safety training is delivered entirely in English, the challenge for UK employers must be to ensure that essential foreign workers with limited English are not at greater risk of being either the victims or causes of such workplace accidents.  To do this, organisations need to assess the language skills of their foreign workers, and they need to take remedial action if it is discovered that knowledge of English is not sufficient to be able to work safely.

The challenge training and assessment providers face is how to authentically replicate (and therefore create the opportunity to assess) the use of language in situations which in the real world are unsafe and impossible to experience? Suppliers of authentic, work-related language assessments have a crucial role to play in contributing to the development of a positive safety culture across UK manufacturing and industry, and with an increasingly international workforce becoming prevalent in these sectors the imperative is only becoming greater. 

Click here to see what Professional Language Solutions offers UK industry, and a case study of how one manufacturing and logistics company has benefited!

About the author:

Crispin, our group Managing Director, has 30 years of experience in language assessment for specific purposes. He is currently leading our bespoke assessment solutions for manufacturing and industry.

PLS is a language training provider based in London who are currently providing online lessons to a variety of corporate and government clients. Get in touch today to discover how we can help you or your colleagues reach your language learning goals.