I Am Kapitol: Head of Health and Safety, David Spackman

David Spackman recently joined Kapitol as Head of Health and Safety, a critical role that aligns directly with our vision to transform the construction industry for a better life.  

With more than 15 years of experience leading safety on some of Australia’s largest infrastructure projects — including Chevron’s Wheatstone development in Western Australia and Petronas’ GLNG Curtis Island project in Queensland. 

Since returning to Victoria, he has played pivotal safety roles on major State Government projects such as the Level Crossing Removal Project and the West Gate Tunnel. 

David brings expertise and a people-first philosophy that empowers all staff, trade partners, and other stakeholders to engage with our safety initiatives.  

When asked about his leadership approach, David is quick to shift the spotlight. 

“My team of safety professionals here at Kapitol are the key,” he says. 

“My role is to harness their expertise and support them to find smart, practical safety solutions across our projects.” 

For David, safety is not just a checklist or a compliance issue—it’s a shared culture, something that must be felt and owned by every person on site. 

“Creating a safe working environment starts with pride,” he says. 

“Regardless of their individual task, a worker is contributing to building something significant, and it’s through this shared vision that our safe systems of work become their safe systems of work.” 

Kapitol’s ‘First of Kind’ (FoK) program is an important part of this approach. It helps project teams identify crucial steps, pause for review, and apply lessons learned from new ideas right from the start. 

“FoK helps us plan better,” he says. “In our industry, the most serious incidents usually happen when change isn’t managed properly.” 

Despite Kapitol’s strong safety record, David leads a proactive approach and remains vigilant of both new and unknown safety risks. 

“Our strong safety record is something to be proud of, but it needs to live alongside a sense of chronic unease. It’s this unease that keeps us striving for improvement and generates an attitude of never resting on our laurels,” he says. 

At Kapitol, we are proud of our unwavering commitment to health and safety in construction, and it is at the very centre of our vision to “Do No Harm”. 

Our I AM KAPITOL series highlights the incredible people who make Kapitol what it is, focusing on their talents, achievements, and contributions to our success. 

You can keep up to date with the series and other ways we’re transforming construction on our LinkedIn and Instagram.