Protect interpreters

Learn how to protect interpreters and reduce health risks at virtual and hybrid meetings

On this page

• Reducing sound risks to protect interpreters at virtual and hybrid meetings
• Requirement: Use an approved microphone
• Best practices for participants
• Requirements for meeting organizers
• Interpreter working conditions
• Related links

Reducing sound risks to protect interpreters at virtual and hybrid meetings

Virtual and hybrid meetings using web-based video conferencing tools have a high risk of sound problems. These problems can prevent interpreters from doing their jobs well and can be detrimental to their health.

Poor online sound quality may require interpreters to increase the volume on their headsets. Even minor noise, such as crackling or distortion, can cause:

• headaches
• hearing strain
• other health problems

In order to reduce the risk of sound problems, protect interpreters and ensure the quality of interpretation, it’s important that you meet the following requirements and best practices in your virtual and hybrid meetings.

These requirements are based on:

• expert advice and research ordered by the Translation Bureau and other organizations
• Measures taken by interpreter organizations around the world
• the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) standards on interpretation

Despite these precautions, sound problems may arise and force interpreters to stop interpreting. The best way to prevent sound issues is to confirm with Translation Bureau experts what requirements must be met and to hire a recognized AV supplier. In-person meetings significantly reduce the risk of sound issues.

Requirement: Use an approved microphone

If you speak at an interpreted meeting using a web-based video conferencing tool, you must use a microphone that:

• is unidirectional (designed to capture mainly the sound emitted in front of it)
• is connected to the computer with a cable, not Bluetooth
• reproduces voice frequencies between 125 and 15,000 hertz
• is accepted by the Translation Bureau

Don’t use the following microphones:

• an omnidirectional microphone (designed to capture all sounds emitted around it, such as teleconference microphones that are used in meeting rooms)
• the built-in microphone in earbuds or wireless headsets
• the built-in microphone in your computer

If you do speak without an approved microphone, the interpreters are instructed to stop interpreting to protect themselves from health risks.

Microphones accepted by the Translation Bureau:

Best practices for participants

By adopting the following best practices when you’re at an interpreted meeting using a web-based video conferencing tool, you will reduce the risk of sound issues and help interpreters understand you better:

• Use a computer to attend, not a smartphone or tablet
• Use a high-speed cable Internet connection
  • Ensure at least 4 megabits per second for upload and download
  • Avoid using a wireless connection
  • Limit the number of other people and applications using your bandwidth whenever possible
• Mute audio notifications on all your devices, including the virtual meeting platform’s notifications
• Join the meeting 30 minutes early for a sound check with the interpreters
• Speak only when it’s your turn to talk and stay on mute when you’re not speaking
• Speak slowly
• Send speaking notes to the interpreters via the meeting organizers, ideally 5 business days ahead of time
• Turn your camera on so that the interpreters can see your gestures and facial expressions and use them to understand and interpret your words. This is especially important when interpretation is offered in sign language

Infographics summarizing the above requirements and best practices are available on the Translation Bureau’s GCwiki page (public wiki hosted by the Government of Canada).

Requirements for meeting organizers

The Translation Bureau provides interpreters. You are responsible for the related arrangements, such as:

• booth or studio
• console
• microphone technician

You must also ensure that certain requirements are met when you organize a virtual or hybrid meeting with interpretation.

You must ensure that:

• speakers use an accepted microphone and follow the best practices
• speakers without an accepted microphone are informed that they will not be able to speak at the meeting and will have to submit their questions or comments in writing (via chat, email, text message, etc.)
• for hybrid meetings, on-site speakers have an appropriate microphone (lapel or wireless if needed).

Interpreter working conditions

Interpreters must have access to a suitable facility to do their work. A suitable facility includes:

• an accredited interpretation studio (for a virtual meeting)
• an interpretation booth located in the room where the meeting will take place with an unobstructed view of the speakers’ table, stage and screens (for a hybrid meeting)
• an accredited interpretation studio for sign language interpretation

For official languages, Indigenous languages and foreign languages, interpretation must be provided through an ISO 20109-compliant audio console with a compressor-limiter to prevent acoustic shock.

Interpreters must have access to a monitor allowing them to see the people attending the meeting by web-based video conferencing.

A professional technician must:

• be on site with the interpreters for the entire meeting
• approximately 30 minutes before the meeting, perform a sound check with the interpreters and the people who will be speaking via web-based video conferencing

During the sound check and the meeting, the interpreters must be able to communicate directly with the organizer, the technician and the host by chat or another way.

Fresh water and 2 paper copies of any reference documents must be made available to the interpreters at the start of each meeting.

Additional requirements may apply depending on the meeting format. We will inform you of these requirements when we respond to your request for interpretation services. Thank you for your cooperation.

Related links

• Statement from Public Services and Procurement Canada’s Translation Bureau on interpretation services
• Translation Bureau’s language services and tools (only accessible on the Government of Canada network)