Office Chair Explosion Risk

Office chairs do pose an explosion risk, primarily concentrated in pneumatic lift swivel chairs, with the risk closely related to component defects.

Pneumatic lift rods are the core components of pneumatic lift swivel chairs, essentially miniature high-pressure vessels that are typically filled with nitrogen internally to achieve stable lifting and lowering. However, inferior products have three major hidden dangers:

• Improper gas filling: Some inferior products use compressed air instead of nitrogen. Since compressed air contains oxygen, it can cause oxidation and rusting of the metal inner walls, leading to heat buildup and pressure increase, ultimately triggering an explosion.
• Material and structural defects: If the wall of the pneumatic rod is too thin or the material is of poor quality, it cannot withstand the internal pressure and is prone to rupture during long-term use or pressure changes.
• Lack of safety devices: Without the installation of explosion-proof steel plates or if the sealing is not tight, fragments can be ejected during an explosion, causing serious injuries.

The consequences of such accidents are severe. For example, in 2009, a 14-year-old boy in Jiaozhou, Shandong, died after a pneumatic rod exploded and pierced his body; in 2013, Ms. Liu was injured by a steel column that penetrated her abdomen, and more than ten metal fragments were removed from her body. According to a spot check by the State Administration for Market Regulation, in 2020, the failure rate of office chairs reached 23.3%, with 17 batches of swivel chairs having issues such as substandard temperature resistance of the pneumatic rods or the lack of explosion-proof steel plates.

To prevent risks, the following measures can be taken:

• Choose genuine products: Select products priced above 200 yuan that have passed the QB/T2280-2016 standard and 5G5 certification to ensure reliable quality.
• Check safety devices: Ensure that the pneumatic rod lifts and lowers smoothly and that there is an explosion-proof steel plate of at least 2 millimeters between the seat cushion and the pneumatic rod to prevent fragment ejection.
• Use and maintain correctly: Avoid frequent lifting and lowering or prolonged exposure to sunlight to reduce the risks associated with pressure changes and temperature increases in the pneumatic rod.