I was one of the reports of an E-match firing from static. To prevent any confusion, I want to clarify the story I heard second hand was not using one of the MJG Firewire initiators available without an ATF license.
I do not recall the manufacturer, but the e-matches in question were standard ones used in the firework industry which require the necessary licenses to purchase and store. The differences are small, but how the e-matches are made is different.
I do believe the report I heard, it was from the owner of the company I was shooting with and it happened to him. I just wasn't there to witness it and wasn't able to reproduce it. That said, I have seen standard e-matches ignite from friction and impact. It isn't always easy to make it happen, but simple care makes them safe to work with. The biggest thing to remember is to treat them as you would a loaded gun. Once the e-match is in place, think about your body and your surroundings. If it were to ignite, what would happen? If the BP charges aren't in place yet, the match will burn for a second. Will it destroy anything? If the charges are in place, where will the nosecone or payload section end up? These scenarios are probably easier to manage. Staging and airstarts gets more complicated.
I don't think an E-match is likely to ignite just sitting there, even when connected to an altimeter that is powered off. You're more likely to get an unintended ignition when you're inserting the coated tip into something, the shrouds protect from friction and impact, but if you must remove it, this is when you're more likely to have one go off. (still a small chance) If you do need to slide the shroud back, look for any chips on the pyrogen coating. I would discard it if it is damaged. For rocketry, I have read reports about ematches igniting when an altimeter powers up. In the fireworks world, there are reports of ematches occasionally firing when the leads are first inserted into the slat, even when the slat is disconnected from the module where the power comes from, when the modules are first powered up, or during continuity checks.
That was long winded. TL/DR
Ematches require some common sense and simple precautions, but can be used safely.