PRESS RELEASE: Leading Australian construction safety firm Buildsafe appoints CEO as part of national expansion plans

MEDIA RELEASE
Thursday, 26th June 2025

HEADLINE: Leading Australian construction safety firm Buildsafe appoints CEO as part of national expansion plans

Gold Coast, Queensland – Integrated construction site safety specialists Buildsafe has appointed Michael Shipton as their new Chief Executive Officer (CEO), as the firm looks to establish itself as the national leader in the delivery of edge protection solutions.

As CEO, Michael will lead the next phase of growth for Buildsafe with a core focus on strengthening its position as the national leader in the provision of fall safety systems for builders across the country.

With close to 600 staff nationally, Buildsafe is renowned within the building industry for its use of cutting-edge technology to deliver its innovative products including its signature guardrails, void protection, and complementary scaffold – ensuring builders and their contractors remain protected on-site with minimal disruption to the build.

For Michael, this new role provides a unique opportunity to contribute to the expansion of one of Australia’s leading construction services brands.

“This role is unique in that I have the opportunity to build on the extremely solid foundations built by the three Founders, said Michael.

“My core focus is to maintain and carry on with the successful receipt from the founders in maintaining our gold standard products and service, while maintaining our incredible workplace culture. In terms of growing our presence, we will be seeking to expand our market share through our existing client’s organic growth and via increasing the usage of our product range by our existing customer base.”

Prior to joining Buildsafe, Michael was a key figure behind the merger of Linfox Armaguard and Prosegur Australia; a key milestone in a career that has seen him in leadership roles across multiple continents and industry sectors.

This experience has seen him work with multinational companies expanding into new markets, along with scaling businesses; this background combined with his global perspective were key factors behind his appointment by the founding directors of Buildsafe.

Founded in 2001, Buildsafe is Australia’s leading provider of edge protection services, safety systems designed to prevent people, materials, or equipment from falling off the edge of elevated work areas, such as roofs, scaffolding, platforms, or open-sided floors.

According to Michael, it is an exciting time for the business as it launches a market-leading solution for construction site management that is proving to be a game-changer for the sector.

“We will focus on expanding our market share in new builds while continuing to refine and grow the core range of our seven safety products and launch our new site management offering,” Michael said.

“Looking forward, the company will also broaden its offering into site monitoring solutions, including the tagging and tracking of trade services—enabling real-time alignment with construction plans and scheduling. This is a game-changer for the industry as it provides the capability for builders to use real-time data to alter project plans when required, while also allowing for greater control around site visitation and deliverables.”

About Buildsafe
With a reputation for innovation, reliability and worker protection Buildsafe offers superior safety solutions, where you can be sure of a compliant build from the outset. From our specially designed and engineered products right through to our responsive operations team, we have every stage of your build covered.
With a footprint covering much of Australia’s east coast, Buildsafe works very closely with those in the construction industry to provide safety solutions to everyone, from owner builders to major site developers; we have all your safety needs covered.
For more information, visit buildsafe.net.au.
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