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For example, an English speaker using a Spanish In-a-Pinch card will see the phrase "My name is ... " followed by the Spanish translation "Me llamo ... " and the English-based phonetic pronunciation "may YAH-moe ... ."

"The cards get people communicating on the jobsite, and they break down the No. 1 factor people must overcome when speaking a new language, and that's fear," Jones says. "You might not be speaking Spanish perfectly, but people can understand what you're saying. When a crew of workers receives its English In-a-Pinch cards, they can start speaking to each other immediately. This creates a work environment that's safer and more efficient, and all-around better."

Jones says the cards can help a business owner determine which members of his or her crew might be worth investing in for advanced language courses. "You can throw a lot of money into language programs and classes, but if workers aren't interested in learning, you're throwing a lot of money away. If you give crew members these cards, you will see who uses them and is excited about learning and might benefit from language classes or other programs," she says.

Spanish In-a-Pinch and English In-a-Pinch cards are available in a wide range of topics, including safety, human resources, employment application, payroll and speaking to an employee's family on the phone.

Another language product geared toward helping construction owners facilitate communication on the work site is Sed de Saber Construction Edition, a self-paced, take-home language program that teaches Spanish speakers English language skills specific to construction.