Hefei Office Chair Explosion

On the afternoon of October 24, 2024, at around 3 o'clock, an explosion of a low-quality adjustable office chair occurred at a company in Hefei, resulting in no casualties but causing severe damage to items.

Incident Details

According to employees of the company, during the explosion, there was only a loud "bang". An adjustable office chair suddenly popped up, and the impact force shattered the nearby glass and scattered the host computer case. Another adjustable chair placed in the corner broke into two pieces at the rotating shaft. Fortunately, the employee who was sitting on the exploding chair at the time was unharmed as they had gone to the restroom, and the incident only caused damage to items.

Issues with the Involved Product

1. Characteristics of Low-Quality Products
The involved office chair was newly purchased in the summer of that year, but it had no packaging markings at the time of purchase, and the manufacturer's information could not be found after the incident. This indicates that the product may be a "three-no product" (no production date, no quality certificate, no manufacturer). Its production process lacks quality supervision, and there may be serious defects in materials and workmanship.

2. Speculated Causes of the Explosion
The core component of an adjustable office chair is the pneumatic rod (gas spring), and its safety depends on the high-pressure nitrogen gas filled inside and the sealing structure. If the pneumatic rod is of low quality, there may be the following hidden dangers:

• Gas Impurities: Low-quality pneumatic rods may be filled with oxygen or other flammable gases. When mixed with the internal lubricating oil, they can trigger an explosion under high temperatures or friction.
• Seal Failure: Long-term use or material aging can cause the sealing ring to break, resulting in the sudden release of high-pressure gas.
• Excessive Pressure: During production, the design pressure of the pneumatic rod exceeds the safety threshold, or frequent height adjustments during use accelerate wear and tear.

Safety Warnings

1. Purchase Recommendations

• Give priority to products with clear production information and that have passed national safety certifications (such as the GB/T 29132-2012 standard).
• Avoid purchasing low-priced products without packaging or markings, and be wary of "three-no" office chairs.
• Check if the pneumatic rod has international certification marks such as SGS or TUV.

2. Usage Precautions

• Regularly inspect the appearance of the pneumatic rod. If you find any air leakage, rust, or difficulty in adjustment, stop using it immediately.
• Avoid frequent rotation or violent height adjustments of the seat to reduce mechanical wear.
• When not in use for a long time, adjust the seat to the lowest position to reduce the internal pressure of the pneumatic rod.

This incident once again highlights the potential risks of low-quality office furniture. Consumers need to be vigilant, and companies should also strengthen procurement reviews to jointly maintain office safety.