1. INTRODUCTION

Throughout the world, accidents occurring in the workplaces of different companies can cause discomfort, injuries and even, in some cases, the death of the workers involved. For this reason, there are international standards, such as ISO 45001:2018, which ensure the physical, mental and emotional well-being of workers. Likewise, countries around the world independently develop their own OSH regulations in order to protect workers within their territory. Examples of this are Germany and Chile. According to [1], Germany has a dual system to protect workers, where the first component ensures protection by the state. Chile, on the other hand, establishes regulations on occupational accidents and diseases, which declare the mandatory acquisition of social insurance against accidents and occupational diseases [2].

Another country worth mentioning is Switzerland, where the two main laws regulating OSH are: The Labour Law (Arbeit Gesetz), which covers working hours and rest periods, health and safety at work, special protection for vulnerable groups, standards for buildings used as workplaces and personal safety measures, minimum working conditions, compliance and supervision. The second is the Accident Insurance Act (Unfallversicherung Gesetz), which deals with the prevention of accidents and occupational diseases due to working conditions, as well as insurance coverage, benefits and financing, with appropriate administration and management. Labour inspections at the cantonal level, SUVA (the central accident insurance body) and the State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO) are responsible for enforcing the laws. A coordination commission (EKAS) supervises and finances the inspection system for accident prevention. Its purposes are to ensure that all workers in Switzerland have a safe, fair and healthy working environment, as well as to ensure that all workers are protected against the risks of both occupational and non-occupational accidents, as well as against occupational diseases.

In our country, the number of cases occurring each year is not small. At the beginning of the year alone, there were multiple cases of occupational accidents. “The Ministry of Labour and Employment Promotion (MTPE) reported that between January and February 2024, more than 5,000 notifications of workplace accidents were made, mainly in the manufacturing (1,272), real estate, business and rental (925) and wholesale and retail trade sectors (718)” [3] Therefore, regulations have been established to minimise such compromising situations. These cases are regulated by Law No. 29783, the Occupational Health and Safety Law, which aims to promote a culture of occupational risk prevention in our country, regulated by Supreme Decree No. 005-2012-TR. Compliance with this law is of utmost importance in order to protect workers from accidents and illnesses related to their work [4].

In the six years since the law was created, there have been cases of occupational health and safety problems in wholesale markets, hospitals and industries in the district of Santa Anita. These include a lack of staff training, inadequate equipment maintenance, incomplete occupational health and safety equipment (PPE), poorly implemented biosafety measures, lack of a preventive maintenance plan, and inadequate supervision, among others. An example of these problems can be seen in the recent accident at the PepsiCo factory in Santa Anita, which can be attributed to a lack of maintenance of a tank in its industrial wastewater treatment plant [5].

It can be observed that there are a variety of OSH problems in the district of Santa Anita. This study seeks to conduct a systematic review to identify the main OSH problems in the district and to propose solutions that will help to minimise them and thus protect the integrity of workers.

2. MATERIALS AND METHODS

This research adopted a qualitative, descriptive approach with a non-experimental, cross-sectional design, as it focused on the observation and analysis of phenomena that had already occurred and could not be manipulated. The systematic documentary review technique was used as the main tool, with the purpose of identifying and analysing the main Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) problems in the district of Santa Anita. The study was based on an interpretative and comprehensive approach, based on the analysis of documents, technical reports, institutional reports and real cases of work incidents recorded between 2018 and 2024. The purpose of the research was to characterise the main recurring OSH problems and propose relevant recommendations, without establishing causal relationships or hypotheses subject to statistical verification. The following methodological phases were followed in the development of this work:

1. Systematic review was used as the main method, following a structured sequence of search, selection, analysis and synthesis of academic, institutional and technical documents. The collection techniques were:
   • Documentary content analysis
   • Review of academic literature (theses, scientific articles, technical reports)
   • Consultation of reliable journalistic sources for recent cases
2. Key terms such as “Occupational Health and Safety” (Seguridad y Salud en el Trabajo), “workplace accidents” (accidentes laborales), “occupational risk” (riesgo laboral), “Santa Anita” and “OHS Peru” (SST Perú) were used in databases such as Google Scholar, UCV Repository, UPN Repository, institutional websites (DIGESA, SUNAFIL), and media such as RPP and Gestión.
3. The population consisted of documents and publications between 2018 and 2024 related to OSH in the district of Santa Anita. The sample was intentional and consisted of nine main documents that met the following inclusion criteria:
   • Direct relevance to OSH issues in Santa Anita
   • Publication date between 2018 and 2024
   • Full access to content
   • Reliable academic or institutional sources
   • Opinion pieces, documents without evidence, or those outside the proposed geographical and temporal scope were not included.
4. The information was organised into an analysis matrix (see Table 1), where the following qualitative variables were categorised:
   • Name of the company or institution
   • Type of economic sector (industry, health, commerce)
   • OHS issues identified
   • Source and author of the document
   This matrix allowed an orderly comparison of findings, identification of patterns, and determination of the recurrence of certain OHS deficiencies.
5. The extracted data were subjected to a qualitative interpretative analysis based on the thematic analysis technique. Recurring themes were identified (lack of training, improper use of PPE, poor maintenance, non-compliance with regulations, etc.) and compared with previous studies included in the introduction. Based on these, practical proposals were developed (see Table 2), following the inductive logic of the qualitative approach.
6. As this was a documentary review without direct interaction with human beings or collection of personal data, the study did not require approval by an ethics committee. However, intellectual property was respected, with all sources used being correctly cited in accordance with APA style, 7th edition.
7. The following instruments were used:
   • Data collection forms
   • Categorisation tables by sector and type of problem
   • PDF readers and bibliographic reference managers

3. Resultados

Table 1. Literature on Occupational Health and Safety problems in the Santa Anita district

Source: Own elaboration

Information from eight institutions and/or companies was reviewed: Two wholesale markets (EMMSA and Makro), two health centres (Hermilio Valdizán Hospital and Centro de Salud Chancas de Andahuaylas), and four industries (wood, textile, food and plastic). In addition, the most recent news on occupational safety in the district of Santa Anita (explosion of a wastewater tank at the PepsiCo company) was taken into account. Table 1 contains information collected on the main occupational safety and health problems, as well as the types of incidents or occupational diseases present in the nine pieces of literature reviewed, each with its respective authors.

The recent incident at the PepsiCo plant in Santa Anita, Lima, where a tank exploded, highlights the importance of occupational health and safety (OHS). This event underscores the need to implement strict industrial safety protocols to prevent accidents that can endanger workers' lives and cause significant damage to infrastructure. The explosion not only reveals possible failures in equipment maintenance and handling, but also in staff training and preparedness for emergency situations. Accidents of this type should serve as a wake-up call for companies to strengthen their OHS policies by conducting regular inspections, adopting early fault detection technologies, and ensuring that all employees receive ongoing training in safe practices. For this last point, according to Law 29783, companies are required to provide four training sessions per year to their workers, one of which should cover what to do in an emergency in order to take the necessary actions. However, it is clear that not all companies comply with this requirement, which is essential for preventing or dealing with these situations. Only through a serious and constant commitment to OSH can risks be minimised and both workers and the surrounding community be protected.

Regarding the EMMSA wholesale market, [10] mentions that the problems encountered were lack of training, inadequate use of PPE, inefficient control, management and supervision, as well as disregard for regulations despite having an OHSMS that classifies accidents in the company. On the other hand, [13] found that the Makro wholesale market also has the same problems mentioned above, in addition to tools in poor condition and outdated machinery. Figure 1 summarises the main OSH problems in wholesale markets, which are: lack of training, inadequate use of PPE, inefficient control, management and supervision, as well as non-compliance with regulations.

Figure 1. Main OSH problems at Makro and EMMSA - Santa Anita.

Source: Own elaboration

Figure 2. Consequences of OSH deficiencies in health centres in the district of Santa Anita.

Source: Own elaboration

Of the health centres analysed, the following OSH problems stand out: lack of training, lack of biosafety materials, and inadequate use of PPE.

In the literature reviewed on the four industries, in the textile industry, [8] found problems related to lack of training, inadequate staff turnover, poor noise and lighting control, lack of order, cleanliness and maintenance, and machinery in poor condition. On the other hand, [7] conducted a study in the wood company Industria de Maderas y Afines Santa Anita S.A.C., where they identified major problems related to inadequate spaces for hazardous waste, a preventive maintenance plan and, as in the rest of the industries, a lack of training for personnel./p>

According to [6] and [11] the food industry had problems related to a lack of knowledge and understanding of OSH policy, incomplete application of regulations and a lack of training, despite having its hazard identification and matrix, such as mechanical, locational, electrical, natural, physical, chemical, biological, ergonomic and psychosocial hazards.

Regarding the plastics industry [14] medical examinations were carried out on employees in order to identify the most common diseases among them according to their area of work. It was found that both manual and administrative staff suffered from dyslipidaemia and overweight. However, diseases such as high blood pressure, uncorrected ametropia and grade I obesity were also found.

Figure 3. Main types of hazards in industries in the district of Santa Anita.

Source: Own elaboration

The industries studied have certain problems in common, such as lack of training and non-compliance with regulations. However, it can be seen that each industry has its own particular OSH problems, as the similarities between these problems are not very frequent. In addition, it should be taken into consideration that these industries use different equipment that requires different safety precautions for workers.

In general, among the three groups of institutions and/or companies, the OSH problems they share are lack of training, poor knowledge of regulations, inadequate maintenance of PPE, and inadequate supervision. For this reason, there is a clear relationship between the problems found in wholesale markets, health centres, and the industries analysed. However, it is important to determine what measures were implemented to solve their notable OSH problems.

Table 2 shows the proposed solutions to the main problems identified by the study group. The proposals relate to the implementation of training, analysis of the Occupational Safety and Health Policy, control of Personal Protective Equipment and its maintenance, as well as the rest of the materials and machinery used in the different companies and/or institutions analysed.

It is also worth highlighting the role of the National Superintendency of Labour Supervision (SUNAFIL), which is essential for solving OSH problems by supervising and enforcing compliance with labour standards. Its intervention ensures safe and healthy work environments, promoting the prevention of accidents and occupational diseases. In addition, it acts as a mediator in labour disputes, improving working conditions and protecting workers' rights.

Table 2. Proposed solutions to the main problems reviewed in the literature analysed on OSH

Source: Own elaboration