You must have heard of bombs exploding and even the hospitals exploding oxygen tanks due to pressure. But, office chairs? It sounds a bit too farfetched. Although rare, a few reported incidents of office and gaming chair explosions have left people worried about their life.
There have been multiple reports, especially from the Chinese provinces, where individuals have reported about office chair explosion resulting in injuries and even death of the user sitting on it. The chances of experiencing an office chair explosion yourself are meager, but it is always better to stay safe and keep yourself informed about such situations.
Here, I will share everything you need to know about office chair explosions and how you can prevent them from happening.
Table of Contents
- Do Office Chairs Actually Explode?
- Are There Any Instances of Office Chair Explosions?
- Why does an Office Chair Explode?
- How to Prevent Office Chair Explosion?
FAQs
- What Are the Chances of an Office Chair Exploding?
- Are the Gaming Chairs Dangerous?
- Do Gaming Chairs Explode?
Do Office Chairs Actually Explode?
Yes, they do.
The occurrence is infrequent and has been reported just a handful of times across the world. And, the explosion is not just limited to the office chairs. There have been reports of the same happening with gaming chairs as well. Keep in mind that any chair with a gas cylinder fitted for adjustability purposes will have the risk of exploding.
The pressurized gas cylinder situation makes the chairs explode, resulting in a catastrophe and an extremely stressful situation.
Are There Any Instances of Office Chair Explosions?
Although quite rare, there are a few tales of office chair explosions that has left people worried about the same. Three common stories go around when talking about exploding chairs, so I thought, why now share the same with my readers.
The first reported incident was in 2008, wherein a 65-year old was vehemently injured when his office chair exploded, and the steel rod from the chair ejected out and then hit the man and then the ceiling, leaving him wounded.
The second incident of office chair explosion was reported in 2009 in the Shandong Province of China. A 14-year old boy was killed in the process when his office chair exploded, leaving him severely injured, which resulted in his death. During the explosion, the chair’s metal parts broke out from the chair and then flew into his lower half, leading to excessive bleeding and death. The situation was extremely graphic and traumatic.
The last and likely recent report was from 2013 when a lady was injured badly after her computer chair exploded. Reports from the injured lady’s family members described that the same happened out of nowhere when she was working, sitting on her chair in front of the computer. It exploded and left her injured with the screws and the metal scrapings cutting through her skin. She was rushed to the hospital, where the surgeons could help her and get her out of the risk zone.
Why does an Office Chair Explode?
Unless you have an idea about the construction and the anatomy of an office chair, the chances are that you’ll question how these office chairs explode. The answer is simple – it is because of the gas cylinders and the pressure tanks integrated into the chair.
If you invest in the cheaper and low-quality air lift chairs, those are imposing the maximum risk. Since these inexpensive ones are integrated with cheaper gas and bad-quality construction, it creates an uneven and high-pressure system due to extreme compression that leads to the chair exploding.
The hydraulic and the manual pressured office chairs aren’t the ones you have to worry about. It is the gas-spring option that creates all the chaos.
If you are wondering how the gas-pressured chairs can explode, here’s what happens.
The majority of the gas spring office chairs are integrated with a suspension system, which allows you to move the chair up and down to ensure maximum comfort and seat height adjustability according to your needs.
When you adjust the height, the gas spring uses the compressed nitrogen gas to enable smoother movement of the chair up and down according to the user’s needs. Doing this consistently and frequently creates unnecessary friction along with enhanced pressure inside the gas cylinder.
Also, improper refilling of the gas cylinders results in the risks of explosion. If you are getting it replaced, make sure that you get the same done by a professional who knows what they are doing.
How to Prevent Office Chair Explosion?
While accidents can happen to anyone and at any time, there are several ways you can prevent these kinds of instances from happening to you. Several countries worldwide have stringent regulations for the construction and manufacturing of office chairs, which means that their gas spring mechanism needs to be top-notch to be approved for commercial usage.
However, with that said, you never know what the next moment has in store for you. Make sure that you use your office chair wisely and follow the guidelines that I am sharing below, especially concerning the gas pressured chairs.
Focus on a Reputable Manufacturer
The primary reason that causes the chairs to explode is the poor quality of manufacturing. You can’t rely on brands that base their profit off of doing shortcuts in the production phase. Always make sure and invest in the office chairs that are from reputable brands with good reviews and real-time experience of the users.
Replace and Maintain the Gas Cylinder
Unlike the manual and hydraulic adjustability options, the gas cylinder and gas spring need changing and replacement now and then. If it is not functioning optimally according to the safety standards, the chances are that you need to consult the brand’s customer care and have a professional come down and check the chair’s status. If they suggest that your chair needs a new cylinder, change it without further thought.
Treat your Chair with Care
I am not saying that you will perform stunts on the office chair, but if you want it to function optimally, you need to take care of the chair and its features. Instead of spending your time adjusting the gas spring multiple times a day, set the settings according to your needs and then let it be. Excessive adjusting leads to heightened friction and creates more pressure that causes the office chairs to explode.
Choose the Right Chair
While it is hard to pick the right office chair when working in a large team in an office setting, you can always do the same for your home office. Make sure that you choose an office chair that will take care of your comfort needs and the overall factors of ergonomics in the long run. Look for options that are viable for your structure and stature.
FAQs
What Are the Chances of an Office Chair Exploding?
As we said before, there are very few reports of office chair explosion. And, reports and statistics suggest that the chances of your office chair exploding is one in a trillion.
Are the Gaming Chairs Dangerous?
Not necessarily if you buy the right game chair that can support your back and overall posture. Make sure that you invest in a gaming chair that has an ergonomic design with all the safety functions that enables you to enjoy your game for extended periods.
Do Gaming Chairs Explode?
Gaming chairs, much like office chairs, have a risk of exploding. But, the chances are slim to none. Much like the office chair guide, you need to invest in a high-quality gaming chair that is reliable and is backed with all the safety functions.
Conclusion
There you have all the information that you need to know about the risks of office chairs and explosions. Office chairs explode only when the situations are unfavorable. So, instead of worrying yourself, try and pick good-quality chairs with years of reliability from the brand. Keep in mind that the brand’s quality and reliability are what decides whether your office chair will explode or last you for years in your work or home office.
