A newly released inspector general report casts a harsh light on the Baltimore Department of Public Works (DPW), revealing instances of data manipulation related to on-the-job heat-related illnesses among workers. The probe into DPW's reporting practices was conducted following the tragic death of DPW worker Ronald Silver II from a heat-related illness this past July. WMAR-2 News reports the Silver family has responded with heartache and a demand for full disclosure of DPW records, as outlined in the inspector general's report and a separate city-hired law firm's investigation.
"Every report that comes out is devastating and hurtful to our family," said Renee Meredith, Silver's aunt, in a statement detailed by WMAR-2 News. They and their attorney, Thiru Vignarajah, are requesting the release of records related to all the omitted heat-related incidents. Vignarajah stated, "26 other DPW employees suffered heat related illnesses. DPW knew it and they chose to remove some of those records before they handed it over to the inspector general of Baltimore City." Meanwhile, DPW has attributed the discrepancies to oversight and affirmed a commitment to accuracy in future submissions.
According to a report by WBAL-TV, the inspector general's recent efforts have unearthed multiple heat-related illness reports initially omitted by the DPW in data submissions. This disparity in reporting came to light when the Office of the Inspector General, led by Isabel Cumming, found incongruences in the number of heat-related illnesses reported by DPW and the city's Bureau of Risk Management, with the latter indicating ten more incidents since 2021 than DPW had disclosed.
"The fact that data on something that important was such a major omission of 40%, almost 40%, that's just not acceptable," Cumming stated, as per WBAL-TV. These findings are part of what appears to be a broader pattern of inadequate employee safety protocols and misconduct within DPW, with workers reporting conditions leading to ailments ranging from vomiting to heat stroke. In light of these findings, the Silver family has renewed their call for increased transparency.
