News Exposes Issues with Office Chairs

The issues with office chairs exposed in the news mainly include a high non-compliance rate, safety hazards, the absence of explosion-proof steel plates in some products, and doubts about the material quality of certain popular online products.

I. High Non-compliance Rate
According to a spot check by the State Administration for Market Regulation, out of 90 batches of office chairs, 21 batches were found to be non-compliant, with a non-compliance rate of 23.3%. Among them, office swivel chairs accounted for a significantly high proportion (17 batches). This indicates that the quality of office chairs circulating in the market varies greatly, and consumers need to be vigilant when making purchases.

II. Safety Hazards

1. Structural Safety Issues: Some products exhibit base fractures and caster detachment, likely caused by insufficient material strength or design flaws, posing risks of tipping or falling during use.
2. Chemical Hazards: The issue of formaldehyde exceeding standards is prominent. Prolonged exposure may cause damage to the human respiratory and immune systems, with particularly severe impacts on sensitive groups such as children and pregnant women.
3. Explosion Risks: Pneumatic swivel chairs using inferior pneumatic rods (such as those with excessively thin tube walls, insufficient purity of inert gases, or replaced by compressed air) may explode when frequent lifting and lowering cause a sudden increase in temperature. There have been previous cases of serious accidents caused by substandard pneumatic rods.

III. Absence of Explosion-proof Steel Plates
Some companies produce office chairs without explosion-proof steel plates, such as products from Shanghai Xingaofan, Guangdong Xieji, Foshan Zhongge, and Foshan Shuaifu. Explosion-proof steel plates are a crucial safety device for pneumatic swivel chairs, preventing metal fragments from flying during an explosion of the pneumatic rod. Their absence significantly increases usage risks.

IV. Material Controversy Surrounding Popular Online Products
The popular online product, the "Liu Liu Stool," was exposed for using moldy wooden boards and recycled sponge. However, the merchant claimed that the product passed testing (based on the QB/T 2280-2016 industry standard, covering appearance, physical and chemical properties, mechanical properties, and formaldehyde emission testing). This controversy reflects that some popular online products may have issues of "passing testing but using inferior materials in reality." Consumers need to pay attention to the long-term durability and health risks of products, rather than relying solely on short-term testing results.