Explosion of Substandard Office Chairs

The explosion of substandard office chairs mainly refers to the sudden explosion of pneumatic lifting swivel chairs caused by component defects, often due to inferior pneumatic rods, and requires high attention to the risks and prevention.

Causes of Explosion

1. Material Defects in Pneumatic Rods: The tube wall of a standard pneumatic rod must reach a certain thickness. Inferior products have thinner tube walls that cannot withstand internal pressure and are prone to rupture after long-term use. For example, some unscrupulous manufacturers use low-quality steel to reduce costs, resulting in insufficient tube wall strength.
2. Impure Gas Composition: Standard pneumatic rods are filled with high-purity nitrogen, which is chemically stable and does not easily react with metals. Inferior products may use compressed air instead of nitrogen, where oxygen can oxidize and rust the metal inner wall. Additionally, compressed air has a high coefficient of thermal expansion, causing pressure to continuously rise and eventually trigger an explosion when it exceeds the limit.
3. Improper Use: Frequent lifting and lowering of the swivel chair can cause a sudden increase in the internal temperature of the pneumatic rod, accelerating gas expansion. If the pneumatic rod itself has defects, such as poor sealing or material aging, temperature changes may directly induce an explosion.

Typical Cases

• In 2007, the first publicly reported seat explosion incident occurred in Zhoushan, Zhejiang, drawing social attention.
• In 2009, a 14-year-old boy in Jiaozhou, Shandong, died after a pressure rod pierced his body while adjusting a pneumatic chair.
• In 2013, 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 steel column penetrated her lower body and into her uterus, and more than ten metal fragments were removed from her abdominal cavity. According to statistics, over forty similar accidents have been reported in China.

Preventive Measures

1. Choose Genuine Products: Prioritize well-known brands or office chairs that have passed national safety certifications. It is recommended to choose products priced above 200 yuan and avoid purchasing "three-no" products (products without a manufacturer's name, production address, or quality certification).
2. Inspect Pneumatic Rod Quality: Observe whether the lifting and lowering are smooth during use, without stuttering or abnormal noises. A standard pneumatic rod should have a smooth surface without rust or scratches.
3. Verify the Presence of Explosion-Proof Steel Plate: Check whether a explosion-proof steel plate with a thickness of at least 2 millimeters is installed between the seat cushion and the pneumatic rod. This component can block explosion fragments and reduce the risk of injury.
4. Avoid Frequent Lifting and Lowering: Reduce unnecessary lifting and lowering operations, especially avoid prolonged continuous lifting and lowering, to lower the internal temperature and pressure changes of the pneumatic rod.