Engineering, procurement and construction projects rarely involve people from one country speaking one language. An EPC project can bring together the owner, engineering teams, EPC contractors, subcontractors, equipment manufacturers, local authorities, consultants and site workers, all with different linguistic backgrounds.
English is often used as the project language, but that does not mean everyone involved has the same level of English or uses technical terminology in the same way. On a large international project, a German engineering team may be working with an American project manager, a Korean equipment manufacturer, a local government authority and construction crews recruited from several countries.
The language problem is therefore not simply about translating documents. It affects engineering discussions, procurement, contracts, safety training, equipment installation, inspections, commissioning and day-to-day decisions on site.
Research from the Project Management Institute has identified communication across languages, cultures and time zones as a significant challenge in international projects, particularly when requirements are not clearly understood by everyone involved. Project Management Institute.
For EPC companies, language needs to be treated as part of project planning rather than something to solve when a communication problem appears.
The Project Language is Not Necessarily Everyone’s Language
Most international EPC projects establish a working language, often English. Contracts, drawings, specifications, reports and meetings may all be conducted in that language.
A project manager may be comfortable discussing a technical issue in English while a subcontractor’s workforce is more comfortable receiving instructions in another language. An equipment manufacturer may send engineers who speak English, while the local operators receiving their training speak another language.
The result is a project where several communication layers exist at the same time. The written documentation may be in English. The project meeting may be in English. The toolbox talk may be in another language. A supervisor may then explain the instructions to workers in yet another language.
Every additional communication layer creates another opportunity for information to be misunderstood. This is important when the information concerns specifications, tolerances, operating procedures, safety requirements or changes to the scope of work.
Engineering Communication is Highly Technical
Engineering teams don’t communicate in everyday language. They work with specifications, drawings, standards, calculations, abbreviations, equipment names and highly specialized terminology. A translator or interpreter who understands general business language may still struggle with the terminology used by a particular engineering discipline.
Civil engineering, mechanical engineering, electrical engineering, process engineering and instrumentation all have their own vocabulary.
The same problem appears when technical terms are used differently across countries. An engineer may use a term that is perfectly normal in their country but unfamiliar to another project team.
That is why technical language services require more than general fluency.
An interpreter supporting an engineering meeting needs to understand enough of the subject matter to recognize what people are discussing and distinguish between similar technical terms. A translator working on specifications or manuals needs access to the terminology used by the project and, where relevant, the terminology established by the client, manufacturer or applicable standards.
Procurement Creates Another Language Problem
The procurement stage brings another group of people into the project.
EPC companies may be sourcing equipment and materials from manufacturers in several countries, with technical documentation, quotations, contracts and correspondence moving between different languages.
A small misunderstanding at this stage can become an expensive problem later.
A specification that is interpreted differently by a supplier can result in the wrong component being manufactured or delivered. A requirement that isn’t clearly understood can lead to a change order. A technical question that takes several days to clarify can hold up procurement or fabrication.
Research into international EPC projects has identified unclear scopes of work and unclear technical specifications among factors associated with contractor claims. journals.vilniustech.lt
Language is not necessarily the cause of every claim, but unclear communication can make these underlying problems worse.
For this reason, translation should be considered during procurement planning, particularly when technical documents are being exchanged between parties that do not share the same working language.
Manufacturing Sites Make Language Barriers More Visible
Once a project moves into construction, language challenges can become much more obvious.
A large site can have workers from several countries working for different subcontractors. Supervisors may communicate in one language, while individual crews use another. A worker may understand some English but not enough to safely follow a detailed instruction given quickly in a noisy environment.
Construction sites also create communication conditions that are difficult even when everyone speaks the same language. Machinery, noise, radios, protective equipment, distance and multiple conversations can make instructions harder to hear and understand.
A 2026 report published by RICS highlighted the reliance on informal translators on construction sites, including supervisors, gang leaders and bilingual workers who are often expected to interpret safety briefings and instructions without formal training.
That creates a problem for EPC companies because the person translating the information may also have their own job to perform. A supervisor who is expected to translate a safety briefing while managing a crew is effectively performing two roles at once.
Safety Information Cannot Depend on Guesswork
Language becomes a safety issue when workers are expected to act on instructions they don’t fully understand.
Safety procedures, emergency instructions, equipment warnings, permits, lockout and tagout procedures, hazardous-material information and site inductions all depend on clear communication.
OSHA has addressed language and training on construction sites, including requirements relating to employees’ ability to understand safety and health information. OSHA has also documented construction projects where safety training was provided in workers’ native languages to address limited English proficiency.
For an EPC company, this means language should be considered when planning safety training, not after workers have already arrived on site.
If a project expects workers from several linguistic backgrounds, the project team should know in advance how safety information will be delivered and who will provide the interpretation.
Commissioning Brings Another Set of Challenges
Commissioning is one of the stages where communication problems can become particularly expensive.
Equipment manufacturers may send specialist engineers to work with the EPC team and local operators. They need to discuss testing procedures, operating sequences, alarms, tolerances, faults and acceptance criteria. At the same time, the local team needs to understand how the equipment will operate once the manufacturer’s engineers leave.
This creates a communication chain between the OEM, EPC contractor, local engineers, operators and maintenance teams. If interpretation is poor, the problem may not become visible until testing or operation.
The interpreter working in this environment needs to understand technical terminology and the practical context of the equipment. General business interpretation is unlikely to be enough for a highly specialized commissioning assignment.
Written Translation and Interpreting Solve Different Problems
EPC companies need both translation and interpreting, but they are not interchangeable.
Translation deals with written information: This can include contracts, specifications, manuals, drawings, safety documentation, training materials, procedures, reports and correspondence.
Interpreting deals with spoken communication: This can include meetings, site instructions, training sessions, inspections, negotiations, interviews and commissioning activities.
But between a translator and an interpreter, the skills and preparation are different:
- A translator has time to research terminology, consult reference material and review the final text.
- An interpreter often has only seconds to understand what someone has said and communicate it accurately to another person.
For a complex EPC project, both functions need to be planned around the project schedule and the type of information being exchanged.
Different Meetings Require Different Interpreting Approaches
Not every EPC assignment requires the same type of interpreting.
Consecutive interpreting is often suitable for technical meetings, inspections, interviews, training and smaller group discussions. The speaker pauses and the interpreter conveys the message before the conversation continues. This gives the interpreter more time to process complex information.
Simultaneous interpreting can be appropriate for conferences, presentations and larger meetings where stopping after every speaker would interrupt the flow of the event. The interpreter works almost at the same time as the speaker, which requires a high level of preparation when technical terminology is involved.
Remote interpreting can be useful when a specialist is needed but is not physically located at the project site. Video interpreting can support meetings, consultations and some training sessions, while telephone interpreting can be useful for shorter conversations. For technical work, however, the project team needs to consider whether the interpreter can see drawings, equipment, demonstrations or other visual information.
On-site interpreting is particularly useful during construction, installation, inspections, training and commissioning because the interpreter can see the equipment and understand the physical context of the discussion.
The right format depends on what is happening, who is involved and how much technical information needs to be exchanged.
Machine Translation Has a Role, But it Has Limits
EPC companies handle enormous quantities of documentation, so it is understandable that project teams look for ways to translate information quickly.
Machine translation can be useful for certain types of content, particularly when teams need to understand the general meaning of a document quickly. It should not automatically be treated as the final solution for every technical document.
A 2025 case study from Black & Veatch described an international project where machine translation was not sufficient for technical language and specialized terminology, leading the team to use bilingual technical professionals to review and edit important materials.
The problem is whether the translated text uses the correct technical term, preserves the original meaning and is appropriate for the context in which someone will use it. A mistake in a marketing document is one thing. A mistake in a technical specification or safety procedure is something else.
Interpreters Need Project Information Before They Arrive
One of the simplest ways EPC companies can improve multilingual communication is to give interpreters enough information before an assignment.
An interpreter who receives a meeting invitation five minutes before a technical discussion is working with very different resources from an interpreter who receives the agenda, project terminology, equipment documentation and relevant drawings several days in advance.
Useful preparation material can include:
- Project terminology and glossaries
- Equipment names and specifications
- Technical manuals
- Drawings and diagrams
- Meeting agendas
- Training materials
- Safety procedures
- Company and department names
- Names and roles of participants
- Previous meeting notes where relevant
This allows the interpreter to research unfamiliar terminology before the meeting rather than trying to solve every terminology question while people are speaking.
It also allows the interpreter to identify terms that may have different equivalents in different countries or industries.
Language Planning Should Start During Project Planning
Language requirements are often considered only when the project team discovers that someone cannot communicate effectively. By then, the project may already have workers on site, technical meetings underway and documents circulating between countries.
Language requirements are easier to manage when they are identified during project planning.
The EPC company can establish which languages are likely to be needed, identify where interpretation will be required, determine which documents need translation and include language services in procurement and subcontractor planning.
A 2026 RICS report found that subcontractors were responsible for recruiting many non-English-speaking construction workers, which can make it harder for the main contractor to understand workers’ language capabilities and ensure consistent communication across the site.
The main contractor therefore needs visibility into language requirements throughout the project, not only within its own direct workforce.
Communication is Part of Project Risk Management
EPC companies already manage risks related to cost, schedule, quality, procurement, safety, contracts and delivery.
The Institution of Structural Engineers has highlighted how poor communication in construction can contribute to consequences ranging from disputes to serious financial and safety problems.
International projects add another layer because communication may cross several languages, technical disciplines and organizational cultures at the same time.
A language problem can lead to a misunderstood requirement. A misunderstood requirement can lead to rework. Rework can affect schedule and cost. A communication failure during a safety-critical activity can have much more serious consequences.
The solution is to identify where language creates a genuine project risk and put the right professional support around those points.
What EPC Companies Can Do
A practical language strategy does not need to be complicated. Before a project begins, the EPC team should identify the languages involved across the owner, engineering teams, suppliers, subcontractors and workforce. It should then map where those languages will matter most: engineering meetings, procurement, contracts, safety training, construction, inspections, commissioning and handover.
The project should also establish who is responsible for arranging interpretation and translation, rather than leaving the decision to individual site managers.
Technical interpreters should receive relevant project material before assignments whenever possible. Translators should have access to approved terminology and reference documents. Safety-critical information should be handled with particular care, and informal bilingual workers should not become the default interpretation system simply because they happen to speak both languages.
The objective is that everyone involved needs access to the information they require to do their job correctly.
International EPC projects are already complicated enough without making language another unmanaged risk. When language services are built into the project from the beginning, communication becomes part of the project infrastructure rather than an emergency solution when something goes wrong.
Image credit: Photo by Gustavo Fring: https://www.pexels.com/photo/engineers-reading-blueprint-6285154/
