Family speaks out after heat-related death of Baltimore DPW worker leads to citation
The family of a Baltimore Department of Public Works (DPW) employee who died from overheating while on the job spoke out Wednesday after the agency was cited for failing to protect its workers...
Silver's family called the recent report from the Baltimore Inspector General (IG) difficult to read. Thiru Vignarajah, the family's attorney, said the report revealed much of what they already knew.
"This is modern-day indentured servitude," said Vignarajah, referring to DPW's working conditions.
Vignarajah said Silver's life was cut short due to years of negligence revealed in a report by the Inspector General's Office. The report listed concerns about operations at multiple DPW facilities, staffing shortages, morale, and neglected maintenance.
"The IG's report makes it clear that what happened to Mr. Silver was no accident, but the natural and predictable result of an agency that for years has deliberately prioritized picking up trash over employee safety," Vignarajah said.
Vignarajah pointed to the reports detailing a lack of training and noted Silver didn't work for DPW the last time the agency had employee training.
"It means he didn't have a chance to know what to do, to diagnose the symptoms, to ask for aid," Vignarah said.
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