Effective thermal hazard evaluation requires an integrated approach to assessment of chemical reactivity. A variety of theoretical and experimental methods can be used to determine the thermal stability of specific compounds or reactive systems. Notwithstanding this, recurrent problems occur with materials and/or reactions which are known to be inherently unstable. Correct application of physical tests and interpretation of output data is essential for effective thermal hazard evaluation. This paper provides an integrated approach for the systematic evaluation of thermal hazards and effective scaleup of data for emergency relief system design.