Matthew Allen, B.Eng., M.Eng., Q.P., CHSC, P.Eng.

SPECIALIZED PROFESSIONAL COMPETENCIES

  • Environmental Engineering
  • Chemical & Materials Engineering
  • Certified Health & Safety Consultant (CHSC)
  • Contaminated Site Assessment & Remediation
  • Mould & Microbial Contamination
  • Assessment of Smoke & Water Damages
  • Air Quality & Noise
  • Compliance, Auditing & Risk Management 
  • Hazardous Materials Management (Asbestos, PCB, Lead)
  • Management of Engineering Services for complex/catastrophic losses
  • Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear (CBRN)
  • Pollution Prevention (P2)
  • Water & Wastewater Municipal Infrastructure
  • Confined Space Assessment & Management
  • Infection Prevention & Control
  • Qualified Person for Environmental Assessment (QPEA, Ontario)
  • Fully Bilingual (French)
  • Commissioned Naval Officer (Ret’d)

ACADEMIC BACKGROUND

Master's Degree (Honours) in Chemical & Materials Engineering (Environmental), Royal Military College of Canada (RMC), 1999
Graduate Research Thesis in Bioremediation of Hydrocarbon Contaminated Soils
Bachelor's Degree (1st Class Honours) in Chemical & Materials Engineering (Environmental), Royal Military College of Canada, 1997
Various NSERC, CNST, RMC Club Scholarships & Grants, 1993-1999

Additional Courses

  • Asbestos Compliance & Abatement Procedures, GK, Toronto, 2012
  • Workplace Hazardous Materials Information System (WHMIS), GK, Toronto, 2012
  • Respiratory Protective Devices, GK, Toronto, 2012
  • Applied Risk Communication, CSSE, Mississauga, 2011
  • Obligations and Liabilities of the OH&S Professional, CSSE, Mississauga, 2011
  • Consulting Skills for the OH&S Professional, CSSE, Mississauga, 2010
  • Mould & Building Microbial Contamination, OHE, Mississauga, 2009
  • Hazardous Building Materials Surveys, OHE, Mississauga, 2009
  • First Aid/CPR Training – Mississauga, 2009
  • Train the Trainer – OSG, Toronto, 2007
  • Confined Space Entry Training, Vancouver, Markham, 2000 & 2006
  • Pre-Start Health & Safety Review (PSR) Training, EPIC, Mississauga, 2004
  • Contaminated Site Health & Safety Training Course (40 hr. HAZWOPR), Burlington, 2003
  • Fire Investigation Certificate, Peter Vallas / I-Eng-A, Markham, 2002
  • Certified Health & Safety Representative, Part I & II, MHSAO, Toronto, 2002
  • Forensic Procedures Certificate, Investigative Engineers Association, Markham, 2002
  • ISO14001 EMS Registered Lead Auditor Training (40 hr.), KPMG, Vancouver, 2000
  • Transportation of Dangerous Goods Training (TDG), Vancouver, 2000

EMPLOYMENT BACKGROUND

Giffin Koerth Inc.
Principal & Senior Engineer
November 2009 – Present, Toronto

Direction of Environmental Engineering and Health and Safety Practice including:

  • Environmental Claims & Litigation Support
  • Environmental Assessment & Remediation
  • Management of Hazardous Materials
  • Spills Response & Management
  • Fungal (mould) and Microbial Contamination
  • Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear
  • Construction Health & Safety Management
  • Water & Wastewater - Municipal Infrastructure
  • Compliance, Risk Management & Auditing
  • Industrial / Commercial / Institutional Loss Investigation

Direction of Multi-Disciplinary Complex Loss Group including:

  • Project Management of large-scale complex losses
  • Team lead for multiple engineering disciplines - mechanical, structural, electrical, environmental
OHE Consultants
Senior Consultant, Senior Engineer
December 2006 – October 2009, Mississauga
  • Contaminated Site Assessment & Remediation
  • Claims Support for Water & Mould Losses in Residential & Institutional Settings
  • Industrial Facility & Process Decommissioning
  • Response & Remediation of Oil & Tar Spills, Transformer Leaks
  • Fuel Spill Remediation & System Decommissioning
  • Compliance Auditing (Environment, Health & Safety)
  • Designated Substance (Asbestos) Survey & Management
  • Chemical Exposure Assessments (Paint & Mining Industry)
  • Pollution Prevention & Wastewater Compliance
  • Mould Assessment & Remediation
  • Pre-Start Health & Safety Reviews (Fire, Explosion, Occupational Exposure)
  • Assessment & Remediation of Illegal Residential ‘Grow Ops’
  • Air Emissions & PCB Inventory and Regulatory Reporting
  • Indoor Air Quality & Noise Assessment
  • Carbon Footprinting for Commercial Buildings
  • Energy Sustainability Program Development

GENIVAR (Formerly MacViro Consultants & Investigative Engineering Inc.)
Partner, Business Unit Leader
December 2001 – December 2006, Markham

Responsible for Direction & Development of Investigative (Forensic) Engineering & Industrial / Commercial / Institutional Business Units including:

  • Environmental Site Assessment & Remediation
  • Air Emissions Approval, Inventory & Reporting
  • Materials Failure Investigations (plastic, metals, tank systems)
  • Water & Environmental Loss Claims Support
  • Design Safety Reviews (PSR) for Municipal Water/Wastewater Projects
  • Fuel Oil Spill Assessment & Remediation
  • Designated Substance Surveys
  • International Waste Chemical Management Projects (DDT, Trinidad)

Stantec (Formerly Jacques Whitford Environment Limited)
Project Manager & Engineer
November 1999 – November 2001, Vancouver, Oakville

  • Contaminated Site Assessment & Remediation
  • Wastewater Compliance
  • Ecological Risk Assessment
  • Fuel Tank Removals
  • Remediation of Heavy Metals Impacted Firing Ranges

Department of National Defence (Royal Canadian Navy)
Commissioned Naval Officer, Officer Cadet
May 1993 – June 1999, Kingston, Victoria

  • Graduated Royal Military College of Canada, Kingston
  • Completed Basic Officer & Naval Officer Training
  • Trained as Navigation Officer & Maritime Engineering Officer
  • Received Sword of Honour & Served as Cadet Wing Commander, 1997

PROFESSIONAL SOCIETIES / ASSOCIATIONS

Associations

  • Professional Engineers of Ontario (PEO)
  • Ontario Society for Professional Engineers (OSPE)
  • Canadian Society of Safety Engineering (CSSE)
  • Instructor, Health and Safety Consulting Skills Course

SPEAKING ENGAGEMENTS

  • “Environmental Risk Management for Risk Managers”, ORIMS, Toronto, 2011
  • “Managing Transportation Spills and Emergencies”, Ontario Bar Association, Toronto, 2011
  • “CSI Meets Spills: Forensic Investigation of Hazmat Sites”, Spills Expo, Mississauga, 2011
  • “Management of Environmentally Hazardous Materials in Property Losses”, Various, 2011
  • “Management of Environmentally Hazardous Materials in Construction and Development Projects”, CSSE Conference, Whistler, 2011
  • “Liability and Subrogation Claims in Environmental Health & Safety”, Aviva, Toronto, 2011
  • "Managing Environmental Risks: Hidden Hazards in a World of Change", OHS Compliance Summit, Toronto, 2010
  • "Environmental Management of Fuel Oil Releases: Forensic Engineering Perspectives", OMIA, 2010
  • “Asbestos Pipe Cutting”, OWWA, 2008
  • “Management of Waste Pharmaceuticals in Healthcare Environments”, Enviropharm, 2006
  • “Using Investigative Engineering Techniques to Litigate Personal Damages”, C.I., Toronto, 2006
  • “Illegal Drug Production Operations: An Engineering Perspective”, RIBO, Toronto, 2003
  • “Mould Assessment & Remediation – Issues in Liability & Insurance”, OHAO, EHO, 2002-2004
  • “Mould Risk Assessment”, Property Casualty Underwriters Club, 2002

Court & Other Appearances

  • Qualified as an Expert Witness in the Superior Court of Ontario in matters relating to indoor environmental/microbial contamination, 2005
  • Technical Advisor to Insurance Bureau of Canada (IBC) Mould Advisory Group, 2002

Papers & Publications

  • Managing Hazardous Materials During Demolition And Reconstruction: The Claims Perspective, Claims Canada, February/March 2010
  • Claims Canada and Canadian Underwriter, Various Articles, Various dates
  • Board of Advisors, Environmental Compliance Insider, 2007-Present
  • Benefits of Professional Engineers, Lawyers Weekly, 2006
  • Effective Pollution Prevention in Healthcare Environments, Journal of Cleaner Production, 2006
  • Bioremediation of Arctic Soils Contaminated By Petroleum Hydrocarbons, ARCSACC, 2001
  • Bioremediation of Hydrocarbon Contaminated Arctic Soils, DND & ARCSACC, 1999