1. Why do people still use matches?

2. Are matches still important?

3. Why is it called safety matches?

4. What properties are essential for striking a safety match?

5. What properties are essential for the striking/friction surface?

6. What measures are there to ensure the safety of matches?

7. What is the match head made of?

8. Do safety matches expire?

9. How are matches made?

1. Why do people still use matches?
Every country is challenged with their own economic problems, especially developing countries with large sections of their total population below the poverty line.
These under developed areas depend highly on the traditional safety matches, because of the high cost of living and the inability to purchase more modernized means.

Back to the top

2. Are matches still important?
Safety matches are very important to the livelihood of millions of people, because they assist in the preparation of food and the purifying of water.
In cases of power outages or the total absence of electricity, dependence is placed solely on lanterns, candles and other means of creating light or fire. The overall cost of using alternatives will significantly exceed the cost of using matches and some people simply cannot afford it.

Back to the top

3. Why is it called safety matches?
A safety match can be ignited only by striking it on the specially prepared, chemically active, friction surface on the side of the box. It will not self ignite in a heat induced environment. The term safety match is derived from its non-toxic properties in comparison with early phosphorous matches. Safety matches are safe because they are not poisonous. Before the invention of safety matches (by G. E. Pasch in 1844), matches were made with highly toxic yellow phosphorous. Nowadays, matches of all types are equally safe.

Back to the top

4. What properties are essential for striking a safety match?
The most important attributes of safe matches are that they strike easily; they do not split or drop hot debris; the splints do not break; the splints do not continue to glow after the flame is extinguished; they contain no toxic heavy metals; and they are safe for the environment.

Back to the top

5. What properties are essential for the striking/friction surface?
There should be no removal of the friction surface, sufficient to expose the underlying surface of the container after performing a test of applying a drop of water to the friction paint for 20 seconds, then wiping it with a dry tissue.
The friction surface of a match container should be capable of igniting all of its contents on one side of the box

Back to the top

6. What measures are there to ensure the safety of matches?
The matches manufactured at Trinidad Match Ltd, conforms to Caricom Standard Specification for Safety Matches, determined by the various Bureau of Standards. This specification, defines all the characteristics that a safety match needs in order to be manufactured and distributed.

Back to the top

7. What is the match head made of?
The head of a match is a complex mixture of chemicals. Some typical ingredients are potassium chlorate, the primary ingredient used in making the match head; sulphur, an easily ignitable substance used in safety matches; manganese dioxide, improves ignition, burning qualities and ash residue and humidity resistance; inert materials, various other ingredients to color the head, and to control viscosity and density.

Back to the top

8. Do safety matches expire?
Matchsticks have a shelf life of three years, granted that the safety matches were stored in a dry and fresh area. Although there is a guaranteed shelf life of three (3) years, matches have been known to still be functional after as much as ten (10) years
The matchsticks are made out of high quality wood that does not produce fungi which extends its shelf life.

Back to the top

9. How are matches made?
The process of making a box of safety matches begins with five sections, working individually to ultimately create the end product.
The chemicals are mixed to form the head composition. The splints are coated with paraffin and then inserted into a machine that holds the splints vertical to allow it to be dipped into the chemical composition. The skillets as well as cardboard are inserted into a machine that forms the outer and inner boxes. The containers are then filled with matches. These processes are automated and occur simultaneously.

Back to the top