Baltimore DPW working conditions to be evaluated at next week's city hearing

BALTIMORE -- Baltimore City Council's Rules and Oversight Committee will hold a hearing on August 22 on working conditions at the Department of Public Works facilities following a worker's death and a report detailing safety issues.

DPW worker Ronald Silver II died after having a heatstroke while on the job on August 2.'

His family said in a press conference last week that Silver's death could have been prevented.

Baltimore City was under a Code Red Extreme Heat Alert that day due to temperatures that reached 100 degrees with a heat index of around 105 degrees.    

Baltimore City Office of the Inspector General released two glaring reports about the working conditions. One report said DPW failed to provide water and cooling for its workers amid a heatwave. A second report detailed deplorable conditions inside numerous DPW facilities. 

Baltimore City Council members cited last week a culture of bullying and intimidation within the department that they said contributed to the poor working conditions.

Maryland Gov. Wes Moore has called for an investigation into the incident. 

Baltimore City Councilman Antonio Glover, who represents District 13, was one of several city leaders to demand change at DPW following Silver's death.

He told WJZ he's open to public hearings, but adds there's a process to abide by.

"They're still doing an investigation in reference to this matter," Glover said. "We just want to make sure that we're getting all the facts, all the details, before we put things out to the public."