Supporting the need for Utility Markers - Underground Utility Damage Statistics & MUUDS

1.)   According to 2010 reports, of all accidents reported, 25% were due to poor locating practices, 38% were due to poor excavation practices and 32% were due to the fact that no notification was made.

M.U.U.D.S   offer additional locating information to aid excavators in discovery, complement locators and help prevent those who dig without notifying 811 from digging without notification.

2.)   There were 115,232 incidents reported nationwide in 2010.  While it was a 2% decline from the prior year, the CGA cautions that this decline may be attributed to a decline in construction activity.

M.U.U.D.S   raise awareness of the location of underground utilities either during excavation or when people dig without notifying.

3.)   12% of all damages nationwide, a total of 14,011, occur in the Northeast region which includes all of  New York State and the New England states.

M.U.U.D.S    embrace the national standard established by the CGA creating a uniform standard in every state. 

             4.)  84% of the incidents in the Northeast are caused by contractors/developers.  Of those incidents,              

       75% were caused by backhoes or trenchers and 15% were caused during the use of hand tools.

M.U.U.D.S    aids in incident prevention by providing a physical pathway for the excavator and laborers to discover the utility carefully.

5.)    42% of the accidents in the Northeast were to water/sewer lines and 16% were to energy/communications

MUUDS color-coded markers help identify utility lines by the color designated by the CGA and provide a depth guide to their underground position.

Utility Markers and UDM's

In recent years there has been explosive growth in the Utility Marker industry with a variety of products on the market.  Utility markers are now used in a variety of shapes and applications for just about every imaginable underground utility.

With the introduction of MUUDS, a new segment in utility markers is emerging that we refer to as UDM's or Utility DEPTH Markers.

UDM's differ dramatically in that they are not only installed WITH the utility, but identify the depth, which is not accomplish by any other utility marker on the market today.

The absence of a UDM marking a utility, offers no guide to contractors to identify the tolerance zone that most state laws require them to observe.  UDM's and MUUDS in particular, narrow the tolerance zone to a more specific range and offer a guide to the utility to aid in damage prevention.

According to DIRT (Damage Information Recovery Tool) issued by the CGA, 37% of all accidents were because no one called before they dug.  MUUDS offer a tracer cord to not only alert contractors BEFORE they get too far, but they also offer a guide to  the utility being marked and identifying the tolerance zone and promoting in excavation.

The tracer cords can be marked with contact information and use of a UDM will help deter and prevent unnecessary damage.  It is important to note that MUUDS DO NOT eliminate the need for locating, calling 811 or observance of the tolerance zone.  MUUDS are a tool in aiding the location of a utility to avoid damage.

Aesthetically, because MUUDS are installed at the full depth of the utility, the remain straight and resist being pulled out of the ground.  Surface markers can be removed, fade and  bend over time.  MUUDS utility markers offer the traditional benefits of other markers , with the added benefit of identifying the depth of the utility.

Dig Safely, Utility Markers and MUUDS!

MUUDS are utility markers and is an acronym for Marking Underground Utility Depth System which is a patented METHOD, for identifying an underground utility.  Conceptually devising a method for this identification is significantly different from actually designing a device.

When we started, we had a simple basic premise as is defined in the patent.  An elongated rod that has a marked measurement on the side that extends down to a base and has in interior cord running through the center of the start.  The actual design of this kind of method can vary dramatically and in order to produce a product that would both meet the definition in the patent AND be functional in the field took some doing.

While our device in the end sounds simple and somewhat of a no-brainer, there are a number of patented devices that do NOT work.  Ours does, in large part because we did some exhaustive research in fine tuning the design.  We explored options, from different shapes of the rod as well as diameters, to a kit in which the marker is assembled in the field.  As we refined our design, we met with Dig Safe councils all across the State of New York to solicit their input and get their reactions.

We were provided with invaluable feedback that identified some of the drawbacks and potential problems with the device.  Our final design, addresses those problems and provides a marker that is economical, effective and easy to use.

In the end our goal is to provide a product that helps promote field safety for workers and utilities.  MUUDS markers promises to establish a uniform industry standard, nationwide, that protects underground utilities and the workers who uncover them, today and well into the future.

Mass Muni Trade Show was a great event!

We attended the Mass Muni Trade Show this past weekend, and it was a great event in a great City!  We were very encouraged by the positive reception we received from everyone we met with as elected officials, DPW workers and finance personnel alike, remarked at the value of having the depth of their utility lines identified in a way that would help prevent damage in the future. 


In a number of municipalities in Massachusetts, the trend started by Lady Bird Johnson to bury utility lines underground continues with a strong emphasis on beautification of their respective towns and municipalities.  MUUDS were enthusiastically received as a valuable tool to aid in the future to prevent damage to those very lines and the ability to locate them minimizing the safety and liability exposure to the town and its employees due to damage.  It was noted that damage prevention protects not only their DPW workers, but emergency personnel who have to respond to accidents when they occur.

Currently the policy of many utility companies is to charge the municipality or private contractor for the costs to repair the damaged line.  That accidental hit to the utility line can end up costing the municipality over $100,000!!  MUUDS is an inexpensive way to avoid that expense.  It saves taxpayers dollars.  MUUDS can save taxpayers dollars at NO COST to the municipality.  Contact us to find out how.

When digging for utilities, inevitably, other utilities are encountered.  Muuds was welcomed as an identification tool for damage prevention of utilities discovered inadvertently while working on other issues.  If you didn't get a chance to visit us at our booth in Boston, we welcome the opportunity to visit with you at your convenience to introduce you to the benefits of using MUUDS in your area.  Here are some of the comments we received at the show:


" I can't believe something like this isn't already on the market"

"Oh my god that makes so much sense!  It's so simple and yet so effective!"

"We could have used this few weeks ago when they just hit a gas line". "

"Definitely get a hold of me, we have so much pipe going in the ground you can't believe it."

"This is brilliant!"

"Contact us."

Accidents and Injuries

Some recent examples of accidents and injuries occurring when exact depth of a utility line buried under the earth's surface is not known.

M.U.U.D.S. helps to prevent these costly accidents and injuries!

http://www.firerescue1.com/firefighter-safety/articles/1222241-2-firefighters-seriously-hurt-in-NY-gas-blast/

http://www.timesunion.com/local/article/Gas-line-break-Debris-dust-and-chaos-near-1827710.php

Introducing "M.U.U.D.S"... A Patented Utility Marking System!

Thank you for visiting our blog to introduce the future standard of underground utility demarcation.

M.U.U.D.S is an acronym for "Marking Underground Utility Depth System and is patented as a METHOD of identifying an underground utility.  You can review the patent by clicking here: View Patent

This method involves an elongated tube or PVC pipe with foot and inch markings, (or metric measurements depending on the area), starting at zero at the base of the rod where the utility lies and extending upwards above ground.  There is a round base plate at the bottom and a cord that runs through the rod and attaches to the base.  IT'S THAT SIMPLE.


Each year, billions of dollars are spent in insurance claims to repair broken utility lines and compensate workers for injuries in the field.  M.U.U.D.S provides an exact path to the utility to create awareness of it's location that is a physical trace to the utility.  In order to comply with New York State Code Rule 753 which requires hand digging within a certain distance of a utility... that distance needs to be known in order to comply.  M.U.U.D.S provides accurate and an exact path to the utility to avoid any disruption or interference.

M.U.U.D.S can be used to identify water, sewer, gas, electric, communication lines that are active or available for future use as well as be used to locate property lines or pins, abandoned utilities, archaeological sites or any underground structures that may need to be excavated in the future.

M.U.U.D.S can extend above ground to be visible markers or discretely hidden just below the surface for future location.

Perhaps one of the most useful properties of M.U.U.D.S is their value in disaster situations.  When tornadoes, floods or hurricanes hit an area and alter the elevation, the depth of the utility is still exact based on the placement of the marker.  In locations where the markers extend above ground, when earth is washed into the area or away, the depth of the utility either increases or decreases, but the measurement remains accurate.

To further augment the benefits of the markers, chips are being developed to provide remote locating of the markers to make identification even easier.   In locations where the markers are installed to be below grade, the chips will provide GPS location.  The markers themselves remain a constant measurement for on site excavators to reach a utility, without damaging it.

As utilities are increasingly placed in the ground, repaired, removed or abandoned, identification of their location will remain a valuable asset to the construction industry.    This patented system will become the standard for any utility or service placed underground in years to come and compliments the 811 standard already established.