Poor Quality of Office Chairs

The issue of poor quality in office chairs indeed exists, primarily manifesting in stability, caster wear, formaldehyde emissions, and other design or workmanship aspects.

I. Stability Issues
According to a spot check by the State Administration for Market Regulation, out of 15 batches of non-compliant products, 7 were deemed non-compliant due to inadequate stability. Such office chairs are prone to tipping over when leaning forward, backward, or sitting sideways, primarily due to insufficient base structural strength, unreasonable center-of-gravity design, or loose connecting components. For example, if there is a cold solder joint at the welding point between the gas spring and the five-star base, or if the angle adjustment mechanism between the chair back and the seat lacks a locking function, it may lead to sudden imbalance during use, increasing the risk of the user falling and getting injured.

II. Caster Wear Issues
Five batches of products were reported for non-compliance in the caster reciprocating wear test. As a moving component, the wear resistance of casters directly affects the lifespan of office chairs. Non-compliant casters often use inferior plastic or rubber materials, with low-precision wheel core bearings, making them prone to jamming, abnormal noises, or even detachment after long-term use. For example, nylon casters sliding on hard floors without glass fiber reinforcement can experience a wear rate increase of over 30%, making it difficult to move the chair or causing scratches on the floor.

III. Excessive Formaldehyde Emissions
Four batches of products did not meet national standards for formaldehyde emissions. Formaldehyde mainly originates from materials such as artificial boards, adhesives, and leather coatings. Long-term exposure to low concentrations of formaldehyde can cause symptoms of neurasthenia such as dizziness and fatigue, while excessive concentrations can irritate the respiratory mucosa and damage liver function. For example, some office chairs use density boards as seat panels, and if the edge sealing process is defective, formaldehyde emissions can reach over 0.2mg/m³, far exceeding the limit of ≤0.124mg/m³ specified in GB 18580-2017.

IV. Other Design or Workmanship Defects
Consumer feedback also includes: insufficient seat height adjustment range, causing users to look down at the computer and leading to cervical fatigue; obvious color differences in the material splicing between the seat and the backrest, affecting aesthetics; excessive noise (over 60 decibels) from the massage function, with uneven massage intensity; and rough stitching on the seat surface, coating peeling, and other workmanship issues. Although these defects do not directly endanger safety, they significantly reduce user comfort and product lifespan.