Beyond market expansion or global information, corporate responsibility and liability generate the need for professional translation services. Prudent and ethical business practices, as well as legal requirements, demand the strictest protocols for the translation of warning labels or safety information for international products, services or equipment operation.
Ideally, production of warning labels should be coordinated with translation of the operations manual, as the manual typically includes a picture of the label. While European Community standards only require companies to demonstrate a warning with a pictogram alone, industry leaders feel compelled to exceed this minimum standard to avoid tragedy or legal difficulties.
Translation of the text on the safety label is typically done first, and used as the basis for selecting the appropriate pictogram to be used in the target market or as a text-only label in alternative markets. Guidelines for writing and design follow those defined for any international communications piece.