Mother of Baltimore DPW worker who died on job says son is "not replaceable"
The grieving mother of Baltimore sanitation worker Ronald Silver II, who died from heat exhaustion while on the job last year, is demanding a city council hearing into her son's death.
She also wants the city to release more information from their independent investigation revealing problems within the Department of Public Works.
The OIG report, released Tuesday, detailed Silver's death. Silver died on August 2, 2024, from heat exhaustion.
His death prompted several investigations and led DPW to be cited for a serious violation by the Maryland Occupational Safety and Health (MOSH) agency.
"He was not replaceable," said Silver's mother Faith Johnson, her voice breaking. "He was not replaceable to us. I'm still trying to figure out how life looks without him."
A mother's pain
This is the first time Johnson has spoken since the Baltimore City Inspector General released a report detailing her son's case.
"I am grateful that we stand here in arms to demand the truth about what took place on that horrific day, and we won't stop. We will not stop. I will fight for my son until my last breath," Johnson said.
Outside investigation
Silver's mother wants the city to release the underlying findings of an outside investigation the mayor commissioned.
The 62-page report by a Washington, D.C. law firm, which the mayor's office released to the public last October, detailed widespread problems in training and a culture of retaliation within the Department of Public Works.
"We just want all of the findings. We just want them all. At this point, there's no reason to hide or to even not release. We just want a hearing, and we want all the documents requested. I think that's the right thing to do to give to his family," Johnson said.
Last moments alive
The Inspector General's report provided a minute-by-minute account of Silver's final hours alive, including begging a citizen along his route for help before collapsing and vomiting on her front stoop, and the failure of the trash truck driver to call 911 for help.
"Any time along the way, people should have realized what's the right thing to do—what do we need to do—call 911. When someone falls out of a truck, you call 911 or you call your supervisor. You do something. And that's what has to happen. And that's what they are being trained now to do," Inspector General Isabel Mercedes Cumming told WJZ Investigates.
City's response
DPW's director Khalil Zaied wrote in response, "Mr. Silver's passing is a stark reminder of the critical role safety must play in our daily operations, and it has fueled our resolve to build a stronger, more accountable safety culture within DPW."
Zaied told WJZ on March 19, "Safety is my No. 1. We are going to build a culture in this organization that is based on safety and safety first."
The Silver family says DPW was aware of problems in the agency for years before his death—including multiple reports showing unsafe working conditions—even a lack of toilet paper and water for workers.
"My god, is it easy for the director of DPW to say, 'Oh, my god, we are going to fix it—and we're fixing it right now.' That's nice to hear. It is a dollar short and a day late," said the Silver family's attorney Thiru Vignarajah.
The Silver family is also asking for more DPW workers to come forward and share how they have been treated on the job.
Conditions on the day of Silver's death
On the day that Silver died, the heat index was about 108 degrees.
DPW records revealed that Silver's crew had 1,153 stops, though the industry standard was 950 stops.
According to the OIG report, DPW workers said exhaust fumes from the trucks increased temperatures, and many trucks did not have adequate air-conditioning.
Co-worker recalls Silver's death
The Inspector General spoke to Silver's co-worker, Travis Christian, who reported that Silver started feeling sick around 11 a.m. and was having trouble walking. Despite his concerns, Silver told Christian he was worried the truck driver would report him to management if he took a break.
Another OIG investigation into the work conditions at DPW found that employees would face retaliation for reporting injuries. The report also revealed that DPW did not have standard procedures for injuries. Many employees became fearful of reporting injuries.
On the day that Silver died, his co-worker said Silver fell during a stop. He described finding Silver lying face down on the ground with scrapes. He also told the Inspector General that Silver was going in and out of consciousness and that his body was "limp and lifeless" as Christian tried to lift him into the truck.
The OIG's investigation further revealed that the driver in the trash truck failed to call 911 after Silver fell and instead called a DPW supervisor.
Silver later knocked on a person's door and asked for help. The person called 911 three times before being able to reach dispatch.
Family responds
Thiru Vignarajah, the attorney for the Silver family, shared the following statement Tuesday:
"After the kind of thorough investigation the public deserves, the Inspector General has confirmed in black and white the family's greatest fears."
"Mr. Silver's death was absolutely preventable and was the direct, predictable result of a city agency that treats its workers like indentured laborers. DPW's practices were designed to lock in a culture of silence and subjugation, and Ronald Silver II paid the ultimate price."
"Mr. Silver and his colleagues have been systematically denied the most basic workplace protections — water, rest, training — and when Mr. Silver exhibited life-threatening symptoms in 108°F weather, DPW's truck driver, instead of calling 911, alternated between mocking and ignoring his conditions."
"It is horrifying that it was a nearby resident, not a city official or supervisor, who called for emergency services. How DPW has treated its workers, and how Mr. Silver was handled that day, is disgusting and should shock the conscience of everyone in Baltimore and beyond."
