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DPW omitted 40% incidents that could be potential heat sickness in the most recent investigation.
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An outside law firm found a lack of training and knowledge about heat safety. They also found a culture in which employees were afraid to speak up about safety concerns out of fears over retaliation.
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Khalil Zaied will lead an agency that has been marred by several scandals that include water quality issues, poor service delivery and reports of a toxic work culture.
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Baltimore City Council is set to hold hearings to examine work conditions at the Department of Public Works following the death of employee Ronald Silver ll on August 2, 2024.
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The city has announced that they have hired an independent firm to audit policies at the Department of Public Works, particularly heat safety practices.
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Unions call for hearings into workplace conditions, additional health and safety training, as well as a full-time OIG investigator dedicated to DPW.
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The pause and training are a direct result of Ronald Silver II’s death, a solid waste worker who died on Friday while reportedly showing signs of heat stress.
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The city was under a “Code Red” heat alert on Friday. Witnesses say Silver expressed feeling hot before he passed out.
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The inspector general warns conditions could violate labor standards and union agreements.
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“You don't have to guess which week to put it out anymore.”