This paper deals with the safety aspects of a 500 kW(th) (thermal power) biomass gasification plant coupled with a 125 kW(e) (electric power) molten carbonate fuel cell. In particular, it describes the procedure for assessing the explosion risk in presence of hydrogen-rich syngas and compares the results given by the application of technical standards with those obtained by the implementation of a fluid dynamic model for the potential emission scenarios. (C) 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.