Hurricane Michael – now a cyclone – has claimed 11 lives in four states so far, and officials are warning that the storm is again gaining strength and will continue to pose a danger. News reports say Virginia has been hit the hardest, with five people killed.

The spectacular series of natural gas blasts and ensuing fires that leveled homes, killed one person and injured 21 others occurred as work crews were in the process of updating the 118-year-old gas distribution system that serviced the area. A preliminary report by the NTSB says the catastrophe occurred after high-pressure natural gas was released into a cast-iron, low-pressure distribution system that had been installed in the early 1900s.

Overdose deaths in the workplace increased by 38 percent annual between 2013 and 2016, according to Bureau of Labor Statistics - and they show no sign of slowing down. As the opioid crisis continues unabated, more and more employers are trying to whether or not they should establish a program that would make naloxone available in the event of an overdose.

News sources are reporting that President Trump will soon name his nominee for the head of the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs (OIRA), an agency that oversees the implementation of government-wide policies and reviews draft regulations. That person will help execute Trump’s plan to reduce government regulations.

If you manufacture head protection, use it on the job or work for a government agency that has a regulatory interest in it, you are invited to help evaluate a voluntary standard for industrial head protection. The International Safety Equipment Association (ISEA) is seeking consensus body reviewers for the proposed reaffirmation of the following standard:

If you’re hoping to use your drone to capture images of Hurricane Michael and its effects, better think twice. Drone owners and operators whose vehicles interfere with emergency response areas in hurricane-hit areas could get hit themselves – with a $20,000 fine.

The loss of four fingers apparently wasn’t enough to cause a New Jersey pet food manufacturer to correct workplace safety and health hazards identified in two different OSHA investigation. After a follow up inspection to those earlier inspections - surrounding the finger amputations an employee suffered when a batch mixer activated while being cleaned - OSHA cited Hamiltime Herb Co. LLC for failing to:

Did you know that a single exposure to excessive noise can cause permanent hearing loss? That means that cutting your lawn, taking in a concert, going to a sporting event or even enjoying fireworks can damage your hearing. Did you know that you have a “daily sound allowance”? There may be many things you don’t know about noise induced hearing loss (NIHL).

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) this week banned seven cancer-causing chemicals added to a variety of food and beverages – although the agency said the chemicals do not pose a public health risk. The chemicals are used to add artificial flavoring like cinnamon, floral and mint to everything from ice cream and baked goods, to gum and beer.

A study analyzing the effect of Right-to-Work (RTW) laws finds a correlation between decreased unionization and a rise in occupational fatalities. The study, published in the medical journal BMJ, looked at the period from 1992 to 2016 and found that RTW laws “have led to a 14.2 percent increase in occupational mortality through decreased unionization.”