HUMMELS WHARF -- The Occupational Safety and Health Administration is investigating a workplace accident that resulted in the death of a Middleburg man on Saturday.
Marlin C. Straub, 62, was admitted to Geisinger Medical Center, Danville, on Oct. 31 and died 12 days later.
According to Eric Hoot, supervisor at Plaza House Furniture, where Straub was a warehouse supervisor, Straub fell off a ladder.
"It was an unfortunate accident," he said.
Straub had worked at Plaza House since 1975.
"He was great, a valued employee," Hoot said.
An OSHA spokeswoman said they were alerted to the fatality on Monday and are investigating the accident. They have six months to complete the investigation. No information was available on how far Straub fell.
OSHA investigations into workplace accidents are required when three or more employees are hospitalized or a fatality occurs, she said.
Last year, falls from ladders accounted for eight of the 46 fatal falls investigated by OSHA in Pennsylvania.
Transportation accidents were the leading cause of fatal workplace accidents in Pennsylvania in 2010, with 78 of the 219 fatal accidents being transportation-related, according to statistics.
If it is determined a business committed a violation, fines could range from up to $1,000 for a "other-than-serious violation" to up to $250,000 for an employer -- or $500,000 for a corporation -- for a willful violation. Failure to correct a prior violation could cost a company $7,000 a day.
Straub is survived by his wife, Darlene, three daughters and four grandchildren.
