TL;DR
Royal Logistics Corps personnel — drivers, plant operators, ammunition technicians, pioneers — work in sustained vehicle and industrial noise environments throughout their service. Former and serving RLC personnel can bring a hearing loss claim against the MoD where hearing protection was inadequate. Compensation ranges from £8,560 to £133,810 under the [Judicial College Guidelines](https://www.judiciary.gov.uk/publications/guidelines-for-the-assessment-of-general-damages-in-personal-injury-cases/) (17th Edition, 2024). No minimum service period. No win, no fee. The MoD settlement scheme closes **the scheme deadline that applies to your circumstances**.
The Royal Logistics Corps is the largest corps in the British Army. Its Driver, Pioneer, Ammunition Technician, and supply trades place personnel in vehicle cabs, loading bays, plant operations, and demolition environments throughout careers that may span two decades or more. The sustained nature of this noise exposure — hours in a diesel cab every day, years of depot and workshop operations — produces cumulative noise-induced hearing loss that is fully compensable where the MoD failed to provide adequate protection.
What noise sources do RLC personnel face?
Noise-induced hearing loss in RLC personnel arises from several distinct trade environments:
HGV driving. RLC Drivers operate the MAN SV range (4-tonne, 9-tonne, and 15-tonne variants), DROPS (Demountable Rack Offload and Pickup System) heavy logistics vehicles, fuel tankers, and articulated low-loaders. Diesel cab noise in older military HGVs — particularly pre-SV fleet vehicles like the Bedford MJ 4-tonner and Leyland DAF 4-tonne — was consistently above 85dB at the driver's ear position over long journeys. Drivers accumulating hundreds of kilometres per week over years of service sustained significant cumulative noise exposure. Cab insulation improved with the SV fleet but was not always adequate for sustained motorway driving with high engine loads.
Plant operation. RLC Pioneer and supply squadrons operate forklift trucks, reach-stackers, container handlers, and warehouse machinery in military depots and forward operating bases. Forklift operation in enclosed warehouses creates a particularly poor acoustic environment: engine noise combined with hard reflective surfaces produces noise levels significantly higher than outdoor operation. Pioneer heavy plant (JCBs, bulldozers, graders) operated for construction and groundwork tasks on operations generates sustained broadband noise comparable to civilian construction plant.
Ammunition Technicians (ATs). RLC Ammunition Technicians are one of the Army's most technically specialist trades — responsible for inspecting, maintaining, and disposing of munitions. AT duties include controlled demolition of unserviceable or unsafe ammunition, render-safe procedures for improvised explosive devices (EOD operations), and training activities involving explosive charges. Demolition and EOD work generates high-impulse blast noise identical in character to the artillery and demolition noise encountered by Royal Artillery and Royal Engineers personnel. ATs deployed on high-threat EOD tours in Afghanistan and Northern Ireland sustained this exposure across multiple operational rotations.
Loading bays and depot operations. Military supply depots — including Donnington, Bicester, and forward storage sites — involved sustained noise from loading equipment, pallet trucks, conveyor systems, and vehicle movements within enclosed or semi-enclosed structures. Personnel working extended shifts in these environments accumulated meaningful daily noise doses.
Weapons training. Like all Army personnel, RLC soldiers are required to qualify with small arms and undertake range training throughout their service. The weapons noise exposure of an RLC career is lower than that of infantry or artillery trades but is not zero, and combines with the sustained vehicle and plant noise to increase total lifetime dose.
Was hearing protection provided and enforced?
The MoD was required to assess noise levels in military vehicles and depot environments, provide appropriate hearing protection for each, and enforce its use. Many RLC veterans report:
- No hearing protection was provided or required for HGV driving, particularly on older fleet vehicles where cab noise was highest
- Depot and warehouse operations were not consistently assessed for noise risk under occupational health frameworks
- AT demolition and EOD training had hearing protection provisions, but these were not always appropriate for the impulse noise levels generated
- Audiometric testing was not systematically conducted across RLC units
The Control of Noise at Work Regulations, which came into full force in 2006, required employers to take protective action at 85dB (the lower exposure action value). For military workplaces including vehicle cabs and depots, the MoD was subject to these requirements. Where it failed to implement them, it bears legal responsibility under its duty of care.
Who can make an RLC hearing loss claim?
Any former or serving member of the Royal Logistics Corps who developed hearing loss or tinnitus during or following service is potentially eligible. Trade groups include:
- Driver (HGV and combat driver trades, including log spec and driver spec)
- Pioneer (heavy plant, construction, and groundwork)
- Ammunition Technician (including EOD-qualified ATs)
- Supplier (depot and warehouse operations)
- Chef (kitchen equipment noise — industrial ventilation, extract fans, commercial equipment)
- Postal and Courier Operator
- RLC officers and warrant officers in operational roles
There is no minimum service period.
Compensation amounts
Awards are assessed under the Judicial College Guidelines (17th Edition, 2024).
| Condition | Compensation range |
|---|---|
| Total deafness (no tinnitus) | £110,750 to £133,810 |
| Complete loss in one ear (with complications) | £38,210 to £55,570 |
| Severe NIHL with severe tinnitus | £36,260 to £55,570 |
| Moderate NIHL and tinnitus | £18,180 to £36,260 |
| Mild tinnitus with some NIHL | £15,370 to £18,180 |
| Mild NIHL or mild tinnitus alone | Around £14,300 |
| Slight tinnitus with slight NIHL | £8,890 to £15,370 |
| Slight loss or tinnitus alone | Up to £8,560 |
Special damages — hearing aids, lost earnings, private treatment, transport — are assessed in addition. See our compensation amounts guide.
Time limits and the MoD settlement scheme
Standard limitation: three years from your date of knowledge. Courts retain Section 33 discretion for late claims. MoD settlement scheme deadline: the scheme deadline that applies to your circumstances — claims submitted before this date benefit from the scheme's agreed framework.
Frequently asked questions
Can a driver claim for cab noise from older vehicles like the Bedford 4-tonne?+
Yes. Older military vehicles often had worse cab acoustic insulation than the current MAN SV fleet, which strengthens the duty of care argument. Veterans who drove these vehicles for extended periods over many years have a strong basis for a hearing damage claim.
I was an Ammunition Technician on EOD duties in Afghanistan. Does blast exposure count?+
Yes. EOD render-safe procedures and controlled demolition generate high-impulse blast noise. AT veterans of high-threat EOD tours in Afghanistan and Northern Ireland have both demolitions training noise and operational blast noise as part of their claim evidence.
Does RLC service qualify even though we are not a combat arm?+
Yes. The MoD's duty of care applies to all personnel regardless of their arm or service. Vehicle noise, depot machinery, and plant equipment are occupational noise hazards governed by the same legal standards as weapons and artillery noise. The claim route and compensation framework are identical.