Hazardous Products (Matches) Regulations

C.R.C., c. 929CANADA CONSUMER PRODUCT SAFETY ACT
Regulations Respecting the Sale, Advertising and Importation of MatchesShort Title

1 These Regulations may be cited as the Hazardous Products (Matches) Regulations.

Interpretation

2 In these Regulations,

afterglow
afterglow means the glow remaining on the splint of a match after the flame has been extinguished; (point rouge)
ignition compound
ignition compound means the chemical compound used to make the striking tip of a match; (corps inflammable)
lot
lot means a stock, batch, shipment or delivery lot of matches; (lot)
striking surface
striking surface means that part of a book, box or other container of matches that is designed for igniting matches; (frottoir)
wood matches
wood matches means matches that have splints of wood but does not include such matches if they are attached to a common base. (allumettes en bois)

General

3 Matches may be advertised, sold or imported into Canada only if

(a) white phosphorus has not been used in their manufacture;
(b) they do not ignite spontaneously when subjected to the test described in Schedule I; and
(c) they meet the requirements prescribed in sections 4 to 7.

4 (1) Subject to subsection (2), the name and mailing address of

(a) the manufacturer of matches that have been manufactured in Canada, or
(b) the importer or distributor of matches that have been manufactured outside Canada

shall be shown in a clear and legible manner on the book, box or container that immediately covers or encloses the matches.

(2) The name and mailing address of the wholesaler of matches that have been manufactured in Canada may be shown in place of the name and address of the manufacturer of those matches as required by paragraph (1)(a) if an identification number, assigned to the manufacturer by the Minister of Consumer and Corporate Affairs upon application therefor by the manufacturer, is clearly shown in close proximity to the name and address of the wholesaler.

Matches

5 (1) Every match shall meet the following requirements:

(a) the ignition compound shall be uniformly applied to the end of the splint of the match;
(b) the striking tip of the match shall not be split, chipped, cracked or crumbling or adhere to the striking tip of another match;
(c) the ignition compound shall not, upon being ignited, crack, explode or drop as glowing particles from the match;
(d) the splint of the match shall not have an afterglow that lasts longer than three seconds; and

(e) the match shall, when tested in accordance with the procedure described in Schedule II, withstand,

(i) if it is a wood match, a moment of 700 gcm without breaking;
(ii) if it is a round match other than a wood match, a moment of 100 gcm without breaking; or
(iii) if it is a match other than a match described in subparagraph (i) or (ii), a moment of 300 gcm without breaking when placed on its edge and a moment of 100 gcm without breaking when placed flat.

(2) In addition to meeting the requirements set out in subsection (1), wood matches shall have splints that are made of good grade and long fibre wood and are not broken, split or crushed.

Books of Matches

6 Every book of matches shall meet the following requirements:

(a) the cover of the book shall be so constructed that all the match heads are covered when the book is closed;
(b) any fastening wire used to secure the cover to the common base of the matches shall not pierce or loosen the striking surface; and
(c) no friction paint shall be present on the inside of the cover within one inch of the match heads.

7 The striking surface of a book of matches that is closed by a cover flap fitting in or over the base of the book shall be on the side of the book opposite to the side that opens.

Inspection by Sample

8 (1) An inspection of a lot consisting of either matches or books of matches at any place where the matches are manufactured, prepared, preserved, packaged, sold or stored for sale to determine whether the lot meets any requirement prescribed in section 5 or 6 that is applicable to it shall be made by inspecting a sample of matches or books of matches, as the case may be, selected at random from the lot.

(2) For the purpose of an inspection made pursuant to subsection (1),

(a) a match that fails to meet a requirement prescribed in paragraph 5(1)(c), (d) or (e) has a major defect;
(b) a match that fails to meet a requirement prescribed in paragraph 5(1)(a) or (b) or, if applicable, in subsection 5(2) has a minor defect;
(c) the number of matches that are selected to constitute a sample of the matches in the lot is the number set out in Column II of Part I of Schedule III opposite the number of matches in the lot set out in Column I of that Part; and

(d) where the lot consists of books of matches,

(i) a book that fails to meet a requirement in section 6 has a defect, and
(ii) the number of books that are selected to constitute a sample of the books of matches in the lot is the number set out in Column II of Part II of Schedule III opposite the number of books in the lot set out in Column I of that Part.

9 Where, in an inspection made pursuant to subsection 8(1),

(a) the number of matches in the sample

(i) that are found to have a major defect is equal to or greater than the number shown in Column III of Part I of Schedule III opposite the number of matches in the sample set out in Column II of that Part, or
(ii) that are found to have a minor defect is equal to or greater than the number shown in Column IV of Part I of Schedule III opposite the number of matches in the sample set out in Column II of that Part, or

(b) the number of books of matches in the sample that are found to have a defect is equal to or greater than the number shown in Column III of Part II of Schedule III opposite the number of books of matches in the sample set out in Column II of that Part,

the lot from which the sample was taken does not comply with the requirements prescribed in section 5 or 6, as the case may be.

SCHEDULE I(s. 3)Spontaneous Ignition Test

1 (1) A wooden block that is 7/8 inch (22mm) thick and two inches (50mm) square and that has a hole one inch (25mm) in diameter is placed on a flat surface.
(2) The hole in the block is filled with the matches to be tested so that the base of each match is resting on the flat surface.
(3) The matches, arranged in the manner described in subsection (2), are placed in the centre of an oven in which the air is circulating and at the centre of which the temperature is 194°F±2°F (90°C±1°C).
(4) Throughout the time that the matches are in the oven and for the purpose of measuring the oven temperature, a temperature sensing device having a range of 150°F (65°C) to 250°F (120°C) shall be placed at a distance of at least 1/4 inch (6.5mm) but not more than 1/2 inch (12mm) from and at the same level as the match heads.
(5) The matches are left in the oven at the temperature specified in subsection (3) for a period of not less than two hours.

SCHEDULE II(s. 5)Test for Breaking Resistance of Splints

1 (1) The apparatus illustrated in Figure 1 is used to conduct this test.

(2) The moment arm on the apparatus is

(a) 2 cm in length, where wood matches are being tested; or
(b) 1.5 cm in length, where matches other than wood matches are being tested.

(3) The match is inserted in the apparatus as illustrated in Figure 1 and the clamp and match gradually lowered until the match breaks.

(4) The maximum force registered on the scale or balance required to break the splint is recorded.

FIGURE 1

SCHEDULE III(ss. 8 and 9)

PART I

Column I
Column II
Column III
Column IV

Number of matches in a lot
Number of matches in a sample
Number of matches having a major defect
Number of matches having a minor defect

1 
50 or less

8
1
1

2 
51 to 90

13
1
1

3 
91 to 150

20
1
1

4 
151 to 280

32
1
2

5 
281 to 500

50
1
2

6 
501 to 1,200

80
1
3

7 
1,201 to 3,200

125
2
4

8 
3,201 to 10,000

200
2
6

9 
10,001 to 35,000

315
3
8

10 
35,001 to 150,000

500
4
11

11 
150,001 to 500,000

800
6
15

12 
500,001 and over

1,250
8
22

PART II

Column I
Column II
Column III

Number of books of matches in a lot
Number of books of matches in a sample
Number of books of matches having a defect

1 
50 or less

8
1

2 
51 to 90

13
1

3 
91 to 150

20
1

4 
151 to 280

32
1

5 
281 to 500

50
1

6 
501 to 1,200

80
1

7 
1,201 to 3,200

125
2

8 
3,201 to 10,000

200
2

9 
10,001 to 35,000

315
3

10 
35,001 to 150,000

500
4

11 
150,001 to 500,000

800
6

12 
500,001 and over

1,250
8