OSHA is urging North Carolina residents - emergency workers, employers and the public – who are struggling to clean up from the impact of Hurricane Joaquin to be aware of the hazards they may encounter and take steps to stay safe.

While severe weather poses risks at the time it’s occurring, the aftermath of a storm can be risky as well, according to an article on nonfatal injuries during the week after Hurricane Sandy in this week’s Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Morbidity and Mortality Report.

Hurricane season is officially underway – and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration is predicting that hurricane activity will be at above normal levels this year. With circulating air and wind speeds that can exceed 155 miles per hour, these storm systems are capable of inflicting tremendous damage on communities, such as the devastation wrought by Hurricane Sandy last year on the northeastern U.S. and six other countries.