2367 mining environments. Without these competencies, digital transformation may be perceived as surveillance or control, weakening engagement and learning. Pillar 3: Long-Term Vision and Responsible Change Management Digital transformation introduces organizational complexity and risk. This pillar emphasizes longterm alignment between technology adoption and safety strategy, including structured change management and active mitigation of transformation-related risks such as resistance, cognitive overload, and uneven adoption across contractors and operational levels. Leadership must balance short-term operational pressures with long-term safety resilience. Model Integration and Empirical Application The model conceptualizes sustainable smart mining safety performance as emerging from the dynamic equilibrium of these three pillars. Weakness in any dimension can limit the effectiveness of digital tools and increase systemic vulnerability. The empirical study conducted in Peru operationalized these pillars through measurable leadership practices and explored their association with perceived safety decision quality, response speed, learning culture, and high-potential incident prevention. 6. METHODS 6.1 Study design An exploratory, cross-sectional survey study was conducted using a descriptive approach. The objective was to characterize current perceptions of Human + Digital safety leadership in Peruvian mining and to explore associations between the proposed model pillars and perceived safety outcomes. The study does not aim to establish causality. 6.2 Participants and sampling The final sample included 124 valid responses from mining professionals in Peru. Participants represented both mine operators and contractors across open-pit, underground, processing plant, exploration/project, and smelting/refining environments. Sampling was non-probabilistic and based on professional networks. Therefore, findings are not intended for statistical generalization, but to provide an exploratory empirical baseline for refining and adapting the Human + Digital Safety Leadership Model in comparable mining contexts. 6.3 Instrument Data were collected through a structured questionnaire administered via Google Forms. The instrument included participant profile variables, digital technology use, leadership practices aligned with the three pillars of the Human + Digital Safety Leadership Model, perceived safety outcomes, and barriers/enablers for Human + Digital integration. Leadership and outcome items used five-point Likert agreement scales. Barriers and enablers were measured through single-choice categorical questions, complemented by one optional open-ended question. 6.4 Data analysis Responses were coded using a 1–5 scale, where higher values indicate stronger agreement. Descriptive statistics were used to summarize the sample profile, digital maturity, agreement levels, and reported barriers/enablers. Composite indices were calculated by averaging related Likert-scale items for each model pillar. Internal consistency was assessed using Cronbach’s alpha. The item related to overreliance on automated systems was analyzed separately as a perceived risk indicator rather than included in the positive maturity index. Exploratory Spearman correlations were calculated to examine associations between Human + Digital leadership maturity and perceived safety outcomes.
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