Explosion of Cheap Office Chairs

The explosion of cheap office chairs is mainly related to defects in the gas spring components, which are common in low-quality gas spring products, and the safety risks need to be taken seriously.

The gas spring is the core component of an office chair, essentially a miniature high-pressure vessel. Legitimate products are filled with high-purity inert nitrogen, which has stable chemical properties and is safe and controllable. However, to save costs, low-quality gas springs often use cheap ordinary compressed air instead of nitrogen. The oxygen in the air reacts with the metal inner wall through oxidation, causing rust and heat buildup, gradually turning the gas spring into a sealed and continuously pressurized 'pressure cooker'. As the internal pressure soars, the outer tube wall becomes thinner and more brittle due to corrosion, eventually leading to an explosion. In addition, physical factors such as an overly thin tube wall of the gas spring and a sudden temperature rise caused by frequent lifting and lowering can also trigger explosions.

There have been several serious accidents in history: In 2013, a Ms. Liu in Xiamen was sitting on an online-purchased swivel chair while blow-drying her hair when the chair suddenly exploded. A 3-centimeter-diameter steel column pierced her lower body and entered her uterus, and more than ten metal fragments were removed from her abdominal cavity. In 2009, a 14-year-old boy in Jiaozhou, Shandong, died after a top rod pierced his body while adjusting a pneumatic chair. These cases expose the fatal risks of low-quality gas springs.

According to a spot check by the State Administration for Market Regulation, in 2020, the non-compliance rate of office chairs reached 23.3%, with 17 batches being swivel chairs. The main problems were that the high- and low-temperature resistance performance of the gas springs did not meet the standards and that explosion-proof steel plates were not installed. Explosion-proof steel plates are key safety devices. If they are missing or their thickness is insufficient (should be ≥ 2 millimeters), they cannot effectively block fragment splashing during an explosion, which will significantly increase the severity of injuries.

Preventive measures need to be strictly implemented:

1. Choose legitimate products: Give priority to office chairs priced above 200 yuan that have clear manufacturers and qualification certificates, and avoid purchasing 'three-no' products.
2. Check the quality of the gas spring: The lifting and lowering should be smooth without jamming. If there are abnormal noises or resistance, there may be internal corrosion or an overly thin tube wall.
3. Confirm the installation of explosion-proof steel plates: Check whether there is an explosion-proof steel plate with a thickness of ≥ 2 millimeters at the connection between the seat cushion and the gas spring. This is a key barrier to prevent explosion fragments.

By standardizing the purchase and conducting regular inspections, the risk of office chair explosions can be significantly reduced, ensuring safety in use.