Office Chair Accident

The term 'office chair accident' primarily refers to the explosion phenomenon caused by component defects in pneumatic lift swivel chairs, which mostly occurs in low-quality pneumatic rod products and requires high attention to safety risks.

Causes of Explosion and Typical Cases

Pneumatic lift swivel chairs achieve height adjustment through the inert gas (such as nitrogen) filled in the pneumatic rod. However, low-quality products have three major hidden dangers:

1. Thin Wall of the Pneumatic Rod: Unable to withstand the internal gas pressure, it is prone to rupture after long-term use or frequent lifting and lowering.
2. Insufficient Gas Purity: Regular products use nitrogen (stable and pressure-controllable), but unscrupulous manufacturers may use compressed air instead. The oxygen in the air generates heat through friction with the metal, causing a sudden increase in pressure, similar to a 'pressure cooker without an open exhaust valve'.
3. Lack of Explosion-Proof Steel Plate: If there is no explosion-proof steel plate with a thickness of at least 2 millimeters between the seat cushion and the pneumatic rod, metal fragments will directly impact the human body in case of an explosion.

Typical cases include:

• In 2009, in Jiaozhou, Shandong, a 14-year-old boy was impaled by the lifting rod when adjusting a pneumatic chair and died.
• In 2017, an office chair explosion in Anhui damaged a computer case.
• In 2020, Ms. Liu in Xiamen was impaled by the steel column of an exploding chair, and more than ten metal fragments were removed from her body.

Preventive Measures and Purchase Recommendations

1. Choose Products from Regular Manufacturers: Give priority to purchasing products priced above 200 yuan and avoid low-priced and low-quality products. According to a sampling inspection by the State Administration for Market Regulation, the failure rate of low-priced products is significantly higher.
2. Check the Quality of the Pneumatic Rod:
   • Observe whether the lifting and lowering are smooth without jamming or abnormal noises.
   • Confirm that the surface of the pneumatic rod has no scratches or rust and that the wall thickness is uniform.
3. Verify the Explosion-Proof Steel Plate: Press the area below the seat cushion with your hand. If you feel a hard metal plate (with a thickness of at least 2 millimeters), it meets the safety standard.
4. Avoid Frequent Lifting and Lowering: Reduce the friction and heat generation of the pneumatic rod to lower the risk of explosion.

Although the explosion of pneumatic lift chairs is a rare event, the consequences are severe. By following standardized purchase procedures and using them correctly, risks can be effectively avoided, and personal safety can be ensured.