Investigation into Baltimore DPW reveals retaliation, lack of training and supervision

The Baltimore Office of the Inspector General has released its report following an investigation into the Baltimore Department of Public Works. 

In the 48-page report, the OIG said its investigation revealed a negative work culture and concerns for worker safety and morale that have persisted for the "last decade." 

Report details problems with DPW facilities

In the report, the OIG listed operational concerns at multiple facilities, including neglected maintenance, and staffing shortages. 

According to the report, employees at DPW's Bowley's Lane and Cherry Hill yards were promised renovations for years with no avail. 

Some witnesses interviewed by the OIG told the office that prior management rarely visited the yards, while others said that work productivity is "continuously prioritized" over employee health. 

Another witness detailed a plumbing leak from a trailer that persisted for three weeks after the city's contractor could not locate the shutoff valve. 

Supervisors told investigators that there was a lack of toilet paper at the facility because toilet paper was being stolen from the facility. Toilet paper dispensers were later installed inside the locker rooms at the facility, and there have been no more theft reports since, per the report.

The OIG said some workers expressed concerns about the Bowley's Lane facility being built on a landfill, causing the smell of gas buildup at the facility. Some workers said the smell was so bad that doors had to be opened after the weekend to air out the smell. 

At the Cherry Hill DPW yard, employees complained about a variety of issues, including a broken HVAC system. 

"When entering the locker room, you feel like you are about to have a heart attack. It is extremely hot in the summer and cold in the winter. DPW has not provided heaters previously. The urinals, sinks, and water fountains were broken," a complaint from one employee read.

According to the OIG, an engineering firm's report detailing broken air conditioning, non-operational showers, and other problems was provided to the Bureau of Solid Waste in March 2024.

Employees also said that they did not know who to contact about facility concerns. 

DPW heat safety: "It's like trash is more important than us."

DPW has been under scrutiny for its heat safety protocols since August 2024, when Ronald Silver II died of heatstroke while collecting trash in temperatures approaching 100 degrees. 

According to the report, Silver's death was one among many instances where employees suffered from heat illness on the job. One solid waste driver described heat exhaustion as "common during the summer", while a supervisor admitted some managers told employees who fell ill due to heat to continue working through the remainder of their shift. 

The OIG said DPW did not have a heat policy in the years leading up to and throughout the Summer of 2024. Heat illnesses at DPW increased yearly, with a total of 8 heat illness cases in 2021, to a total of 12 in 2024. 

Multiple employees said they had either experienced or witnessed heat-related illness on the job, describing symptoms of passing out, feeling light-headed, and cramping. 

"It's like the trash is more important than us," one employee said. 

Other employees said that supervisors told them they "were being soft" when they complained about heat issues. As a result, many cases went unreported. 

A previous investigation by the OIG conducted before Silver's death revealed that employees had been working in sweltering heat without being provided cold water or access to a cooling facility.

Silver's death prompted outrage from Baltimore City Council members who described DPW's work culture as "toxic."

Shortly after Silver's death, his family publicly demanded answers about safety protocols. Silver's father told WJZ that DPW had received "plenty of warnings" about employee safety during extreme heat. 

Travis Christian, Silver's coworker, provided details about the incident at a press conference with attorney Thiru Vignarajah. According to Christian, both he and Silver suffered severe dehydration and cramping while working in temperatures exceeding 100 degrees. Christian said he collapsed before Silver passed out and hit his head.

Christian alleged they weren't allowed to take breaks and felt pressured to continue working despite the conditions. He said that when Silver collapsed, he struggled to help him while the truck driver watched.

Maryland Occupational Safety and Health (MOSH) said in February that it extended its independent investigation into Silver's death through March 7, 2025.

The OIG report details a lack of driver training. "Numerous witnesses stated they do not believe that new employees understand the work duties before they are hired," the report states. "Solid waste workers typically described the training they received as on-the-job training. A common phrase used to explain the training process was that DPW 'just throws you on the back of a truck.' A supervisor said DPW needs to provide comprehensive onboarding training for workers and drivers instead of immediately expecting them to commence their duties without proper preparation."

In November 2024, Timothy Cartwell was crushed by a trash truck. In November 2024, Cartwell's family told WJZ they were heartbroken, and wanted to know who was accountable for the tragedy. 

Lack of proper uniforms

The OIG found uniforms that lack protection and are not replaced. Boots would wear out and in some cases need to be taped. 

"The supervisor explained that the worker had to duct tape the sole and shoe back together. Workers reported buying their boots due to wearing through their City-issued boots. Additionally, multiple workers noted they do not receive protective equipment like safety goggles," the report states. 

Heated jackets were ordered but the heating element would only work on the high setting for two hours and not through shifts.

"The OIG found numerous battery pack options available on the internet that have longer-lasting capabilities and may be compatible with the jackets ordered," according to the report. 

Buttons on the front of uniforms could get caught on the trucks and were a safety hazard according to some employees.

Retaliation for reporting injuries

The Inspector General said employees would face retaliation for reporting injuries. 

"During subsequent interviews, multiple supervisors confirmed that an employee would face disciplinary action if an injury was not promptly reported the same day it occurred," the report states. 

Some were fearful of reporting the injuries and "there are no written standard operating procedures within DPW for injuries. A DPW HR Manager stated they have been begging for a standard operating procedure on reporting injuries for years because there are instances when employees get injured and say that they are fine, go home, come back the following day, and report the injury. The DPW HR Manager stated there is an issue because once you leave the 'crime scene' no one knows what you are doing."

The OIG provided several examples of how DPW would respond to injuries:

• One employee shared that they experienced a medical emergency but supervisors did not document or report the injury. The employee met the workers on the route that day and did not start the day at the yard. During the investigation, the OIG learned it is not uncommon for workers to meet their driver on the route. The employee said when they arrived at the truck that day, they began experiencing a medical issue. The OIG confirmed with a DPW HR manager that the supervisor never completed an EIR. The HR manager explained that an EIR should have been completed, and the coverage determination should have been left to the Worker's Comp Vendor. Instead, the employee was hospitalized and lost months of pay. An EIR was never completed, and the OIG reviewed the records and will continue the investigation.
• Another worker explained that a Solid Waste employee was injured by a trash truck and workers expected them to finish the route before seeking medical attention. The injury was reported to supervisors at the end of the route. Instead of taking the employee directly to the Health Clinic, supervisors reportedly took the employee back to the accident scene and demanded the employee show them how the injury occurred.
• A solid waste worker reported their face and shirt were burned when an unknown object blew up in the trash area of the truck. They waited for a supervisor to come to the scene, but they returned to the yard because the supervisor was taking too long. A supervisor then drove them to the clinic to be examined.

Lack of fines

Baltimore City cannot be fined by the state over safety issues: "The investigation also uncovered that currently, local governments like the City are not subject to the fine provisions of the MOSH act, even in cases of serious violations that involve an employee death."

The OIG said, "The inability of the safety oversight group to hold another government entity financially accountable for their mistakes results in less incentive to take corrective measures. However, a proposed Maryland Senate bill would require public bodies such as the City, to pay civil penalties for citations. The fact that OSHA cannot fine another government entity results in less government worker protections than private sector employees, where an entity can be fined."

Route problems 

The investigation found the city's trash routes are too long and the workload is unevenly distributed and cited a report from a city-contracted vendor Rubicon. 

"According to Rubicon, the City's trash routes are 20% larger on average than the industry standard of 950 stops per route. Rubicon also noted that 40% of the routes are larger than the City's average route size, and 83% of City routes are above the industry standard of 950 stops per route. Furthermore, Rubicon wrote  that the City's sorvice expectations are practically impossible to achieve."

Human resources issues

In one case cited in the report, the city paid $2500 to surveil a DPW worker after a claim had already been completed—potentially violating privacy and revealing nothing of substance. 

"Other workers reported negative interactions with a DPW HR Manager. Witnesses reported that in these interactions, they did not feel that the DPW HR Manager listened or addressed their concerns, and some stated the DPW HR Manager spoke in a disrespectful tone towards them. In a fatality case, the Inspector General spoke with the DPW HR Manager concerning the condition of an employee who worked with the deceased employee. The DPW HR Manager was dismissive concerning the employee's traumatic experience. In a prior fatality case, the DPW HR Manager said they allowed witnesses two (2) days to recover from the fatality even though they requested a longer time. The OIG learned that the DPW HR Manager requested the Worker's Comp Vendor to complete surveillance on an employee after the worker's compensation claim had been closed. The employee had withdrawn the claim. However, the DPW HR Manager inquired if the Worker's Comp Vendor could do surveillance if no claim was filed. The Worker's Comp Vendor responded they could if requested. The DPW HR Manager requested that they do so. The surveillance cost was $2,500 and yielded no substantial results per the investigative report.

The DPW HR Manager and the Worker's Comp Vendor's actions appear to have been an unnecessary cost and not in accordance with the City's Worker's Compensation Administrator contract. The contract states that activity checks or surveillance can be pursued at the direction of the City's Worker's Compensation Division in the Law Department. Moreover, the lack of an open worker's compensation claim could be a misuse of a vendor's services, create an appearance of retaliatory actions, and potentially encroach on an employee's right to privacy."

OIG issues recommendations 

The Inspector General also pressed for urgent renovations to facilities, better staffing and proper evaluations for employees. "At the time of their interviews, workers believed their supervisors did not support them, did not care for their safety, did not handle injuries properly, and were unwilling to assist. The office also recommended changes to trash trucks and recycling routes to areas recycling at disproportionate rates. 

The OIG said DPW made an emergency request for more personnel through a recent waste vendor contract in order to address staffing issues. 

Other recommendations include installing GPS systems into vehicles for safety and accountability, and establishing a process for pre-trip inspection of DPW vehicles in order to ensure that vehicles are properly maintained. 

The Inspector General also detailed numerous dangers for sanitation workers but noted the hazard pay they receive is just 15 cents an hour. The OIG recommended a review of these salaries. 

The frontline supervisors require comprehensive training, especially in conflict management and de-escalation. Once trained, these supervisors should be held accountable to the standards outlined in the training," the report states.

Silver family responds

The family of Ronald Silver II issued this statement about the report to WJZ through their attorney Thiru Vignarajah:

"The family is grateful for the Inspector General's hard work digging into issues with an agency that has been broken for a very long time. We are still digesting its disturbing findings, wrenching stories, and the clear pattern of incompetence and inhumanity that the IG has uncovered. For now, all we can say is that it should never have taken this long to bring these injustices to the public's attention, but we are grateful that the Inspector General has done so. We pledged that we would make sure that Ronnie's tragic death would mark a turning point, and this report is one step in that process."

Mayor, DPW respond

Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott addressed the inspector general's report at a Wednesday morning news conference. He said problems at DPW pre-dated his administration. 

"We're taking about historic levels of disinvestment and not having the protocols and practices in place, and that's why we have the leadership--and that's why we have been proactively starting to work on these things," Scott said. "I'm not going to be happy until the work is complete, but I also know this is not overnight work."

The Department of Public Works stressed millions of dollars in investment in refurbishing facilities and procuring new vehicles. 

• Reedbird Sanitation Yard (Western Sanitation Yard): $10 million in funding for renovations, including an upgraded administration building, a new staff facility, and a truck wash bay.
• Kane Street Sanitation Yard (Southeast Sanitation Yard): $7.8 million for improvements to office spaces, break rooms, ADA-compliant bathrooms, and the addition of electric vehicle (EV) chargers for a more sustainable fleet.
• Bowleys Lane Sanitation Yard (Eastern Sanitation Yard): $29 million in funding to renovate locker rooms, add a lactation room, improve Residential Recycling and Drop-Off Center, and add a new compost facility. Funding for this is a combination of CIP funds across multiple years and ARPA funding.

DPW also said in a statement they are working to build a culture focused on safety. 

"DPW has introduced new measures to enhance workplace protection and safety protocols," DPW said. "To provide clear guidelines for protecting employees in varying environmental conditions, DPW has developed a Proposed Heat Illness Prevention Plan (HIPP), a Cold Stress and Illness Prevention Plan, an Extreme Heat Standard Operating Procedure, an Accident Incident Notification Standard Operating Procedure, and an Extreme Cold Stress Weather Standard Operating Procedure. With these advancements in protocols, DPW renewed its focus on employee training to ensure all members of the BSW workforce understand and can apply its latest procedures."