The risks and benefits of AI translations in safety critical industries


By Moana Ewald, Quality Assurance & Impact Analysis Coordinator at Mintra.


In safety-critical industries, clear communication is essential. At Mintra, client interest for multilingual training has increased significantly, reflecting the need for accessible training in workers’ native languages, says Moana Ewald, Quality Assurance & Impact Analysis Coordinator at Mintra.


Several factors are at play, primarily fuelled by the availability of AI translation engines to make multilingual training more accessible and affordable. The emerging conversation acknowledges that training undertaken in the mother tongue is not just about convenience, it helps learners ‘feel safer’. There is an increased confidence, a sense of value and a positive learning outcome that directly impacts safety. However, it’s not all plain sailing, relying on AI- powered translation engines without adequate quality review processes can lead to critical errors. There are lessons to be learnt.


In 1978, the International Maritime Organization (IMO) adopted English as the official working language for seafarers under the Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping (STCW). The goal was clear: To ensure smooth, unambiguous communication across multinational crews. Yet, despite using English as the de facto language for maritime safety and operations for the last 45+ years, improvements in AI have made multilingual training more feasible, accessible and increasingly in demand.


The energy sector, known for its stringent health and safety regulations and high-value workers, is leading the charge with customers requesting high-quality translations in safety-critical courses, particularly into Norwegian, Brazilian Portuguese and European


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Spanish. Training delivered in your native language is not just a matter of preference, it is proven to be more effective. As people naturally think in their native tongue, your brain must first translate information, then understand it, before storing it.


By providing the option of native-language training, these companies ensure a clearer understanding of safety protocols, reducing risks and improving compliance. The emphasis on seeking high-quality translations offers valuable lessons for the maritime sector, which faces similar challenges of employing and training multilingual teams. But it’s not quite as rose-tinted as it looks. Whilst the availability of AI- powered translations has made the process quicker and less labour intensive, there are inherent risks. Using unregulated AI translation engines in safety- critical sectors can pose significant risks where precise communication is essential.


Services like Google Translate are popular for their speed and accessibility on phones or laptops. They can handle basic translations but often fail to capture the nuances of technical jargon, industry-specific terminology and cultural context, potentially leading to dangerous misunderstandings or mishandling of critical tasks. In safety-sensitive contexts, such errors could result in severe consequences, including accidents, damage to equipment or even fatalities.


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