Baltimore DPW director promises culture change following scathing reports on workplace conditions

A year into his role as Baltimore's Department of Public Works director, Khalil Zaied promises the culture is shifting in his department.

In a one-on-one conversation with WJZ's Dennis Valera, Zaied affirmed his commitment to change the DPW after several scathing reports criticizing workplace conditions and the on-the-job deaths of two workers.

The DPW director said as awful as some of the headlines have been since the summer, it has energized him to improve the negative views of the department.

Safety first

Zaied says workplace safety has become the top priority at DPW with the deaths of Ronald Silver II and Timothy Cartwell still weighing on his mind. 

Silver died of heatstroke after collapsing in near triple-digit heat in August. Cartwell was crushed by a trash truck in November.

"What really bothered me the most [was] the actual loss," Zaied said. "How the family feels about those losses."

Zaied vows to ensure no other DPW worker dies on the job by improving work conditions.

"It made me more determined to get to the bottom of it," he said.

New safety and workplace protection measures have been developed, including a proposed Heat Illness Prevention Plan (HIPP) and Extreme Heat Standard Operating Procedure.

Zaied said he's meeting with a workers' union next week to finalize the HIPP.

"It looks at what the summer is going to look like. It looks at things as [it] happens," he said. "If the temperature gets to be 90 degrees, what are we going to do, how are we gonna make sure our people are safe? [It goes over] what if the temperature gets to 100 degrees."

A Cold Stress and Illness Prevention Plan and an Extreme Cold Stress Weather Standard Operating Procedure have been developed.

Changing the workplace's culture

Zaied said he's working hard to change DPW's culture. Part of that effort is making sure he's more present around the department, especially for those who are working the frontlines.

"My first job is to go there and show them that I understand what you do. I appreciate what you do and [to show] we need you," Zaied said.

Multiple reports from the Baltimore Office of the Inspector General noted awful working conditions, lack of training, and a culture of fear, among other issues.

The Maryland Occupational Safety and Health Program, or MOSH, also recently issued a safety citation to DPW.

Zaied said he's been bridging the gap between workers on the line and supervisors and managers.

"We need to get [supervisors and managers] to understand what you've done in the past, is in the past. There is a new requirement [to abide by], there is new safety [requirements to check]," Zaied said.

To address working conditions, DPW has allocated tens of millions of dollars to improve conditions at several sites.