To ensure and maintain process safety in the chemical industry a systematic hazard search and evaluation, i.e. "Risk Analysis" is indispensable. The knowledge of the ignition behavior of dust-air is important for such a risk assessment in a chemical production plant. This paper describes, based on a practical example, the strategy of performing a Risk Analysis and the use of the minimum ignition energy and minimum auto ignition temperature as very important safety indexes in practice. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.