Federico Parazzoli: Push for Dallcon to face industrial manslaughter charges over workplace death

The heartbroken family of the young Italian killed in a horrific workplace accident have vowed to fight for “justice” amid calls for his employer — Wheatbelt manufacturer Dallcon — to be charged with industrial manslaughter. Federico Parazzoli, 28, died at the Dalwallinu business on April 3 in an incident described as “entirely preventable” by construction union CFMEU. The exact circumstances around his death have not been confirmed, but it is understood he was run over by a forklift carrying a heavy concrete block. Speaking with Seven News, Mr Parazzoli’s stepfather, Roberto Mangilli, claimed he had spoken with half a dozen Dallcon workers who had expressed grave concerns about conditions at the precast concrete manufacturer. A quarry manager in his native Italy, Mr Mangilli, said he was shocked when his stepson described being required to purchase his own personal protective equipment and working 12 — or 14-hour days in extreme heat. “In Italy it doesn’t work like that... whatever you need for your safety, the employer has to give you,” he said. Breaking down in tears, he said Mr Parazzoli was determined to complete exactly six months in the role to satisfy a regional work requirement and qualify for a year-long extension to his visa. “(He said) July 19 is your birthday, Roberto. I will come back home for two months of rest with you, Mum, and Stefano (his younger brother),” Mr Mangilli said. “I want to get justice for him. I want to get safety for the other guys that are still working there.” Stefano — who joined Mr Mangilli in Perth earlier this month to arrange Mr Prazzoli’s funeral — said his family was determined to ensure no one else was hurt at Dallcon. “I’m not about getting justice for me because there is no justice for me. My brother is dead,” he said. “I just don’t want something like this to happen to any other guys.” A CFMEU inspection in the wake of Mr Parazzoli’s death unearthed a litany of safety concerns, including a lack of delineated walkways and a traffic management plan, workers at height without guard rails and a thick layer of silica dust over much of the yard. State secretary Mick Buchan said the union believed Dallcon needed to be “shut down permanently” and prosecuted under new laws — enacted in March 2022 — that created a criminal offence for industrial manslaughter. “We fought like hell to get industrial manslaughter put into our legislation... now we are going to fight like hell to make sure it is used,” he said. A Dallcon spokesperson said the Dalwallinu site had been extensively examined by WorkSafe and WA Police and that no further comment would be provided while investigations were ongoing. Premier Roger Cooks said Dallcon risked losing out on future government contracts if it was found to have failed to meet safety standards. Dallcon bills itself as “Australia’s (number one) precast concrete manufacturer” and has supplied materials to Main Roads, BHP, FMG and Civmec. Mr Cook said all workplace deaths were “horrible” and “fully investigated” and that safety was a key criterion when assessing bids for government work. “If there is a death in the workplace, or if there’s a government contractor that has occupational health and safety issues, that’s obviously a consideration when it comes to future contracts,” he said. WorkSafe remains in the early stages of its probe into Dallcon but has already issued the company a prohibition and improvement notice. The regulator said details of those notices were “not publicly available because they form an important part of the investigation”.