Moxie\" Market Analysis Every Individual

¶ … Moxie" Market Analysis

Every individual worker has the right to feel safe when they enter the workspace. (OSHA Mission Statement 2007, NP) Many individuals are aware of the dangers they may face when they enter an industry that is traditionally dangerous, with the assumption that if they do everything right they will be kept safe from injury or danger. The problem in some industries, of which mining is one, is that there are many factors that contribute to danger that are unforeseeable, and therefore unavoidable.

Working conditions in mines and quarries can be unusual and sometimes dangerous. Underground mines are damp and dark, and some can be very hot and noisy. At times, several inches of water may cover tunnel floors. Although underground mines have electric lights, only the lights on miners' caps illuminate many areas. Workers in mines with very low roofs may have to work on their hands and knees, backs, or stomachs, in confined spaces. In underground mining operations, dangers include the possibility of an explosion or cave-in, electric shock, or exposure to harmful gases. (USDL Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2004, NP)

One of these dangers, in the mining industry is toxic gas. Gas levels may creep up, without observation and cause or be the result of explosions and accidents, which often end in fatalities, owned in part by the fact that intervention in underground settings is often difficult and time consuming. Toxic gas is often invisible and undetectable by the human nose. It should be safe for every minor to assume that everything that can be done to protect their safety is being done and yet, toxic gas detection has been an area where technology and its availability have not kept up with the demand for safety.

The industry and protective agencies have been seeking economically sound technology to help avoid such tragedy for centuries, starting with the traditional candle and/or canary methods, and ending in the modern high tech though expensive stationary, wearable and mobile gas detection devices. One thing that has been lacking is an economic wearable gas detection unit which is also a communication device. Underground communication, between technology, minors, rescuers and surface workers has been hard to come by. With new advances in communication micro technology this is all changing. "Moxie" is one of the most advanced inclusive systems available to date, and this work will describe ways in which moxie can be applied and more specifically the available market for its sale.

The Market

The market for "moxie" the advanced toxic gas detection and communication device designed to economically elicit safety for individual miners is to some degree exponential, as its relative cost is absorbable by the industry the relative cost of this small device, wearable or stationary ranks in the range of a high end cell phone and can therefore be absorbed by the mining industry relatively easily, a point which will be expounded on later in this analysis. The product could be marketed first to miners in the U.S. beginning with underground miners and then expanded to industry workers dealing with toxic gas, such as underground drillers and even sewer workers. The international market will be the next market sought by the "Moxie" developers.

There has been a great deal of interest in the development of technology to help prevent deadly mine gas explosions and exposures as a result of frequent mine accidents which seem to recur often as a result of limited technology and enforcement of heady mine regulations. Many protection agencies and mine organizations large and small will benefit from the availability of "Moxie" and will likely embrace the opportunity to utilize such technology and build from it as the technology is expanded and improved.

Industry Snapshot

According to the U.S. department of Labor Bureau of Labor Statistics slightly over 200,000 men and women are employed in the mining industry in the U.S., of those about 75,000 are direct workers, who at times work underground or in closed environments, depending on the industry. (USDL, 2004, NP) These closed environments including underground environments often contain toxic gasses both natural and man made that can affect health and well being and tragically this is just a single dangerous aspect of their work that requires significant attention be paid to it on a moment by moment level. Many of these toxic gasses are not detectible but are pervasive to protective equipment such as respirators when they are present. Additionally some of these toxic gasses are present in greater concentrations when events occur, such as controlled or accidental explosions, which also often cause obstacles for exit from mines, when they become dangerous. Secondary clean air is not always available and filtering devices are not always adequate to protect minors, where they are available. In short toxic gas deaths are not only common they are one of the leading causes of injury and fatalities in mine accidents and disasters. (mine disasters are identified as any accident or incident which results in the death of 5 or more people). Up to this point in history the technology for prevention was often limited and enforcement is frequently left to industry, with only limited availability of trained enforcers and inspectors and a strong industry desire to profit, sometimes at the expense of life.

Technological Advantage

Moxie" is one of the first devices of its kind, that does more than simply alert the minor or other worker of danger, in his or her direct vicinity, but instead interactively gives the minor and the surface a map of potential danger and an avenue of communication regarding potential danger zones This device can give the minor the all clear or mark off an area of the mine as too dangerous for human exposure, at any given time, allowing equipment to be used to vent dangerous toxins or simply allow the minor to exit the area, much more quickly than in the past when danger is present. The device will also allow the surface to communicate with underground workers and alert rescue teams of potential dangerous situations, far sooner than has been done in the past. All of these advantages make "Moxie' a desirable and marketable device.

Moxie" still currently in development, will be in its marketable form capable of ensuring the assumption that everything that can be done to protect the minor is being done. The device is worn by the miners and soon will have the capability to send a signal from one device to another. Each device will relay the data from one to all the rest and also place its information on the single device in a format that is readable by the individual minor. We may also have ground units placed where miners are not always present, so as to inform minors of the possibility for danger in areas where they do not frequent but do traverse occasionally. In this way we can daisy chain the signal all the way out to the main control, underground and on the surface, with safeguards that warn the surface when a breech in communication exists and be able to relay stationary information directly from the surface to the minors underground and vise versa. The devices will work, in a way like a closed cell phone system that relays information in and around the mine to specific devices and can easily be interpreted in the conditions where it exists. The device will have a lighted text messaging system, as in the past voice communication has been seriously hampered by the conditions and relative noise of the underground environment. The device will emit an intermittent green signal, that will indicate to minors that their particular location is currently safe, and emit a yellow (needs information), orange (needs immediate information) or red signal (area or global evacuation) to minors when there are concerns that must be communicated about or require immediate evacuation. The advantage of the system, as it is being designed is that 2 or 100 units (with the addition of a single base unit on the surface) can increase the level of protection and allow minors to communicate immediate danger and/or safety to each other and the surface without interruption of their work, unless such interruption is required. The mine could begin by using only 10 units, worn by supervisors and then expand the service to individual minors as validity and comfort is gained.

Cost Advantage

It only costs about $200, U.S. dollars to manufacture a single "Moxie" device. If the company can sell, at even a very minimal markup (say 10%) the device would likely generate a profit, after only about 2,000 sales, the equivalent of only about 20 mid sized mines. Smaller mines could also afford to offer or buy the equipment outright for its personnel. "Moxie" could be included as an optional or a necessary aspect of tools and supplies required for the individual minor. Mines could require that individual minors absorb the cost over time or could buy the equipment outright in a reflection of their commitment to safety at the mine.