Office Chair Accident

Office chair accidents mainly refer to the explosion issues of pneumatic lifting swivel chairs, which are often caused by component defects. Prevention requires attention in three aspects: selection, inspection, and installation.

The earliest case of a pneumatic lifting chair explosion can be traced back to Zhoushan, Zhejiang in 2007, and similar incidents have occurred frequently since then. For example, in 2009, a 14-year-old boy in Jiaozhou, Shandong was impaled by a rod when adjusting a pneumatic chair and died; in 2010, a woman in Fujian suffered buttock injuries, rectal tears, and vaginal perforations due to a pneumatic chair explosion; in 2015, Ms. Liu's lifting chair in Xiamen suddenly exploded, with parts shooting into her body; in 2017, an office chair explosion in Anhui damaged a computer case; in 2020, a spot check found that some staff chairs posed explosion risks.

There are two main reasons for pneumatic chair explosions:

• Inadequate cylinder structure or materials: When using inferior materials, aged parts, or cracks in the pneumatic rod, excessive pressure when a person sits on the chair can cause it to explode. For example, if the cylinder wall is too thin or has tiny cracks, it may break under long-term use or sudden force.
• Using oxygen instead of nitrogen: Nitrogen is an inert gas that does not burn. The higher the nitrogen concentration in the gas spring, the greater the safety. However, nitrogen is relatively expensive, and some unscrupulous manufacturers use air (containing oxygen) instead. Oxygen can react chemically with the lubricating oil in the pneumatic pump through friction, creating an explosion risk.

Prevention measures should focus on the following aspects:

• Select products from reputable manufacturers: It is advisable to choose products priced above 200 yuan and avoid buying low-priced, inferior pneumatic chairs. Reputable manufacturers typically use qualified materials and have more standardized production processes, ensuring greater safety.
• Check the smoothness of the pneumatic rod's lifting function: When purchasing, test the lifting function of the pneumatic rod. If there is stuttering, abnormal noise, or uneven lifting, there may be structural defects or material problems, and caution should be exercised in selection.
• Ensure the installation of an explosion-proof steel plate: A steel plate with a thickness of at least 2 millimeters should be installed between the seat cushion and the pneumatic rod. The explosion-proof steel plate can block flying parts in the event of an explosion, reducing the risk of injury to the human body.