Match Inspectors Needed Great Eyesight
Quality control is an important part of almost any kind of production or manufacturing process, with many workers being assigned to ensure that the products being made all meet the company’s standards of quality.
A worker inspects match heads, Bryant and May 1955. (Photo by Walter Nurnberg/SSPL/Getty Images)
Every now and then, human or machine errors in the manufacturing process lead to little issues and flaws that need to be addressed. This man, who worked at the Bryant and May matchmaking factory just outside of Liverpool, England, is seen inspecting a set of matches. He would have to ensure that all of the matches were the same length and shape, and most importantly, he had to check that all of the match heads had been properly formed, without any abnormalities that could lead to any risks for users in the future. He would identify and discard any matches that didn’t meet the company’s standards.