Baltimore City Council grills DPW over poor working conditions following worker's death
BALTIMORE -- At a city council oversight hearing Tuesday night, council members grilled DPW leaders about poor working conditions following the death of Ronald Silver II.
"My son Ronald was the pillar and foundation of our family, he was everything," Faith Johnson, Silver's mother said.
Heartbreak was heard in her voice as she begged for answers from city leaders as to why her son died while on the job.
"We need answers, the family needs answers, and the public needs answers," Johnson said.
The medical examiner's office said Silver's body overheated while he was working in extreme temperatures on August 2.
He was 36 years old.
"The million dollar question. The question ought to be asking is why was Ronnie walking away from his coworkers, walking to a stranger's house, and knocking on the door begging for water and medical aid," Thiru Vignarajah, Silver's family attorney said. "Why was that who Ronnie Silver was turning to instead of his coworkers?"
His death was just weeks after a bombshell report came out from Baltimore's Inspector General. The report detailed poor working conditions at DPW facilities, stating facilities had inoperable water fountains or air conditioning.
"What has changed within the agency to support safety and specifically before the death of Mr. Silver," City Council member Zeke Cohen asked.
City Council members asked DPW leaders what's going on behind closed doors on Thursday night.
The DPW claimed to have completed 14 trainings in 2024.
When asked why Gatorade, water, and toilet paper are kept under lock and key, DPW leaders admitted to systemic issues within the agency.
"I just want to understand why," Odette Ramos asked.
"Those are cultural changes, and we are going to start by making everybody accountable," a DPW official said.
Maryland Operation Safety and Health Agency is currently investigating Silver's death as the city hired a D.C.-based law firm to review safety policies and procedures at DPW.
However, this has raised concerns given the firm's history of representing employers in their efforts to weaken OSHA's regulations.
Councilmember Glover, a former DPW worker, demanded to know why the firm was chosen.
"The goal was to find someone with extensive expertise, particularly in heat safety, that could hit the ground running in a short period of time, and we felt that this was the best team," a city solicitor official said.
DPW workers also spoke Thursday night, expressing concerns about the conditions.
They asked DPW officials to make sure when they are making necessary changes, to include some of the front-line workers in their discussions.
"The city owes, if nothing else, this family the truth. It owes them an honest, transparent investigation so that we know who to hold accountable," Vignarajah said.