CDOIF Guidance

CDOIF

Chemical and Downstream Oil

Industries Forum

CDOIF is a collaborative venture formed to agree strategic areas for

joint industry / trade union / regulator action aimed at delivering

health, safety and environmental improvements with cross-sector

benefits.

4.2.2

Tables to assess MATTE potential

The tables defined in Appendix 5 provide a methodology for how to begin to assess the

potential for substances (and cocktails of substances) to cause a MATTE if released to

the receptor unmitigated. The tables are provided as guidance on the information that

needs to be presented and provide a suggested format; however the information may be

presented in another format.

Table 1 – MATTE Potential Summary Matrix

Table 1 can be used to summarise which substances or groups of substances could give

rise to a MATTE if unmitigated (i.e. no prevention or mitigation measures are in place).

The table should be completed for each receptor that is relevant to the site.

A tick (¥) can be used in each box to indicate that a MATTE could occur if the credible

scenario (as defined in table 3) occurred.

A cross (x) can be used in each box to indicate that a MATTE could not be caused by

the substance.

Further footnotes could be referenced with each tick or cross to justify the prediction.

Note that it is important that this summary table is used to cover the potential

consequence of all dangerous substances, both single releases and multi-release (for

example from a tank farm or warehouse) and firewater – the substance groupings

defined can be used to achieve this.

Table 2 – Receptor Detail

Table 2 can be used to provide further definition of each relevant receptor and the

environmental vulnerabilities which they present. Reference should be made to section

3 of this guidance document for further definition of the receptor type, and to Appendix 2

for the original DETR 1999 tables.

Please note, for designated sites it is expected that information will be sought from the

conservation bodies.

Table 3 – MATTE Scenarios

Table 3 can be used to provide a description of the consequences to the receptor from

the credible scenarios under which a MATTE may occur to each of the receptors.

Typical scenarios may be:

Tank Overfill

Catastrophic Tank Failure

Leak from tank base

Pipework failure

Warehouse / Chemical plant fire.

Escalation of the above or any other incidents.

Guideline – Environmental Risk Tolerability for COMAH Establishments v1.0

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