Issues in Sampling Inspection of Office Chairs
There are issues in the sampling inspection of office chairs, including a high overall non-conformance rate, non-conformance in major items, and prominent quality issues with swivel chairs, among other defects in related products.
High overall non-conformance rate: The latest sampling inspection by the State Administration for Market Regulation revealed that among 101 batches of office chairs produced by 101 enterprises nationwide, 15 batches were non-conforming, with a non-conformance discovery rate of 14.9%. In the 2019 inspection, 21 out of 90 batches were non-conforming, with a batch non-conformance rate of 23.3%. This indicates that the overall quality of office chairs needs improvement, and non-conforming products entering the market may harm consumer rights.
Major non-conforming items: Firstly, stability issues were found in 7 batches, where the chairs were prone to tipping over when leaning forward, backward, or sitting sideways, potentially causing users to fall or get injured. Secondly, caster wear was non-conforming in 5 batches, affecting the product's lifespan. Thirdly, excessive formaldehyde emissions were detected in 4 batches, posing health risks. Fourthly, there were defects in flame retardancy and safety, with some products failing to meet flame retardancy standards, having broken bases, detached casters, etc. The gas cylinders in pneumatic swivel chairs could even explode if their safety was non-conforming.
Prominent quality issues with swivel chairs: Due to their complex structure, including components like gas cylinders and five-star bases, swivel chairs have more quality issues. For example, the five-star bases broke during static load tests, and gas cylinders could explode if their safety was non-conforming. In the 2019 inspection, 17 out of 21 non-conforming batches were swivel chairs.
Issues with other related products: The Shanghai Municipal Administration for Market Regulation found that gaming chairs and electric desks also had issues such as missing labels and structural safety defects, with a non-conformance rate of 20%. Market regulatory authorities have ordered operators to stop selling and remove non-conforming products from shelves and have transferred cases for legal prosecution. Consumers should prioritize products with a stable structure and reliable materials when making purchases and pay attention to checking safety warning labels.
