Adrian Fariña Pacheco: Man killed in Malaga crane incident identified as experienced rigger

The man who died in a crane incident on a worksite north of Perth has been identified as Adrian Fariña Pacheco.

Mr Fariña Pacheco — an experienced rigger working for AR Construction — was struck by a steel beam being lifted by the machine at the Malaga site on Tuesday.

The 59-year-old’s workmates made a triple-0 call at 1.15pm but paramedics were unable to relieve him when they arrived and he died at the scene.

He had been standing near the crane as it was operated by a colleague for steel erection works on a warehouse at the Glask Construction managed site along Marshall Road near Guadalupe Drive.

The site was closed on Tuesday as Worksafe investigators travelled to the site to examine what happened.

A large crane with AR Construction branding and steelwork has been cordoned off by yellow tape at the site.

Friend Adam Briggs described his late mate’s passing as “wrong” and “surreal” saying it had a ripple effect across his community.

Mr Briggs had met Mr Fariña Pacheco two years ago through rigging work and said he would be remembered for his “heart of gold” and for being a “good Spanish bloke” on site.

He said Mr Fariña Pacheco had moved to Australia almost a decade ago from the Canary Islands to create a new life with his Italian wife, who he affectionately referred to on-site as his “numero uno”.

“It’s surreal. We just never thought we would lose a good workmate and personal friend so suddenly,” he said.

“I last saw him a week and a half ago. It’s just really hard. There’s just so many memories.

“We built a great relationship over those two years. I grew up without a father. And every day he would pick me and my little brother up. Every Friday we would go out for dinner and he was like a mentor to me.”

Mr Briggs said colleagues had rushed to revive Mr Fariña Pacheco and have been “destroyed” by his sudden passing.

“It’s wrong. He was 100 per cent a safety man. He would wear his helmet, gloves and harness everyday, no matter what,” he said.

Mr Briggs and other colleagues had spent time with Mr Fariña Pacheco’s wife in the days following his passing to offer support.

Glask managing director Kieran Glaser had last week celebrated his AR Construction colleagues as “great guys” and “great operators” on LinkedIn as he shared the project’s progress.

“Fantastic work all, the organisation on site with the steelwork from AR Construction is very impressive and much appreciated,” he said.

“Nick Scali’s new distribution warehouse at Malaga is now taking shape and coming out of the ground. Keep up the great job guys.”

In a statement provided to The West Australian on Thursday, Mr Glaser said the firm was “fully cooperating with the investigating authority”.

“This tragic accident has shocked us. Glask Construction is, and has always been, totally committed to ensuring a high standard of work health and safety at all our construction projects,” he stated.

“Our focus currently is on providing psychological support to our project personnel.

“We reassure our staff, contractors, and clients that we will do everything possible to learn from this accident and will work with our contractors to make any necessary changes or safety improvements to protect our people.

Five fatalities involving mobile plants have been reported to Worksafe in 2024, which is across mining, construction and general workplaces. Of those, two involved a crane.

Mobile plants can also include forklifts, elevating work platforms, delivery vehicles, order pickers, earth-moving equipment and prime movers.

Construction, Forestry and Maritime Employees Union WA State Secretary Mick Buchan said his death also marked the sixth on a construction site in WA this year.

“Our organisers are out there day-in and day-out improving safety in the construction industry,” he said.

“We must improve the safety culture across all worksites in the state, whether that’s regarding build schedules, fatigue, mental health, or using the right tool for the job.”

Online Mr Fariña Pacheco often shared the progress of his rigging projects with friends.

“Very good job,” he captioned a picture of a steel structure shared just nine days before his death.

WorkSafe Commissioner Sally North WA’s Industrial Relations Minister Simone McGurk both expressed their condolences for family, friends and coworkers of Mr Fariña Pacheco.

The investigation is now in the hands of Worksafe investigators and a report on his death will be prepared for the State coroner.

Ms North said investigators would examine what actions are required to prevent future incidents of a similar nature and take any appropriate enforcement action.

AR Constructions and Glask Constructions has been contacted for comment.

If you or someone you know is in need of support you can contact MATES in Construction WA via the 24 hour helpline on 1300 642 111.