The research by Martinus Bambang Susetyarto and Ashleika Adelea examines how the integration of Health, Safety, and Environment (HSE) principles in small office spaces plays a crucial role in protecting workers’ safety while ensuring long-term business sustainability, particularly for startups and small-scale enterprises.
The Romantic Image of Small Offices and Hidden Dangers
Entrepreneurial culture often celebrates stories of companies like Apple, Hewlett-Packard, Microsoft, and Amazon, which famously started in modest spaces. These narratives reinforce the idea that working in cramped, under-equipped environments is a natural part of building a business from scratch.
From an architectural and safety perspective, however, such spaces carry significant latent risks. Garages and houses are not designed for prolonged office activities, high electrical loads, hazardous material storage, or dense occupancy. Poor ventilation, unclear evacuation routes, and the absence of fire protection systems are common problems. Innovation may flourish, but safety often falls behind.
In Indonesia and many other developing economies, this pattern persists. Startups and small companies frequently operate in adapted buildings with minimal safety standards. Attention to HSE usually comes only after an accident occurs, rather than as a preventive strategy.
Lessons from a Deadly Office Fire
One of the central case studies in the research is the Terra Drone Indonesia office fire in Kemayoran, Jakarta, which claimed the lives of 22 employees. Investigations revealed that the building lacked emergency exits, smoke detectors, and a fire protection system. The fire was triggered by exploding lithium batteries that were improperly stored inside the office.
Architecturally, the tragedy exposed multiple failures: misuse of workspaces for hazardous material storage, overloaded electrical systems, and the absence of fire compartmentalization. “A modern-looking office does not guarantee safety,” the authors emphasize. “HSE must be verified through architectural performance, not aesthetics.”
Research Approach: Bridging Architecture and Business
The study uses a qualitative exploratory approach, combining literature review, case study analysis, and architectural interpretation. The authors examined both successful and failed entrepreneurial workspaces, focusing on spatial layout, materials, circulation, and building systems.
The cases range from startup garages and dormitory-based offices to warehouses, converted houses, co-working spaces, and high-standard corporate offices. This broad perspective allows the researchers to draw lessons that are relevant to entrepreneurs, architects, and policymakers alike.
Key Findings: A Repeating Pattern of Risk
The findings reveal a consistent pattern across different contexts. Early-stage businesses often accept high spatial and safety risks to save costs. When accidents occur or the business grows, HSE measures are introduced as corrective actions rather than preventive ones. This reactive approach proves costly in the long run.
Key findings include:
- High workspace density without proper circulation planning increases accident risk.
- Adaptive reuse of buildings without safety audits exposes workers to hidden hazards.
- Lack of emergency procedures and training leaves employees unprepared for fires or disasters.
- Unequal access to comfort, such as daylight and ventilation, contributes to stress and reduced productivity.
Implications for Business and Public Policy
The study underscores that HSE is not an obstacle to innovation. Instead, it is a prerequisite for sustainable innovation. From a business perspective, workplace accidents lead to operational disruptions, legal liabilities, psychological trauma, and reputational damage.
For policymakers, the findings point to the need for clearer and more practical HSE guidelines tailored to small and medium-sized enterprises. In Indonesia, workplace standards remain fragmented and often limited to internal government regulations. Periodic architectural safety audits for small offices could play a crucial role in preventing future tragedies.
HSE as a Long-Term Investment
Susetyarto and Adelea argue that investing in HSE does not have to be excessive or extravagant. The key lies in understanding work processes, organizational culture, and spatial needs. “HSE is not a barrier to innovation,” they conclude. “It is the architectural foundation upon which sustainable innovation is built.”
By integrating physical, psychological, and functional comfort into small office design, entrepreneurs can protect their most valuable asset—human capital—while securing long-term business sustainability.
Author Profiles
Martinus Bambang Susetyarto. is a researcher at the Centre for Nusantara Architectural Studies, Universitas Trisakti, Indonesia. His expertise includes architecture, workplace safety, and office design.
Ashleika Adelea. is a researcher at the Centre for Educational Development, Technische Universität Darmstadt, Germany, specializing in facility management and work process analysis.
Research Source
Susetyarto, M. B., & Adelea, A. (2025). Integrating Health, Safety, and Environment (HSE) Principles in Small Office Architecture.
Formosa Journal of Science and Technology, Vol. 5 No. 1, pp. 371–382.DOI: https://doi.org/10.55927/fjst.v5i1.390
Official URL: https://traformosapublisher.org/index.php/fjst
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 Principles in Small Office Architecture Lessons Learned from Entrepreneurial Workspaces, Accidents, and Spatial Adaptation){kind=link}
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