July 26, 2025
Ronald Silver II was a Baltimore sanitation worker who died on the job in August 2024.
The family of Ronald Silver II, a Baltimore sanitation worker who died in August 2024, is preparing a civil rights lawsuit against Baltimore, the city’s Department of Public Works, and city officials over the city’s alleged policy of forcing its workers to toil in unsafe working conditions, particularly those with criminal records.
Silver died from hyperthermia, likely due to overheating while on his trash route according to a state report.
According to WBAL, a letter the family’s attorney, Thiru Vignarajah, sent to those parties spells out a policy akin to slave labor for its workers.
“The culture and conduct at DPW confirms a callous and willful indifference to human life; the agency’s policies and practices are designed to dehumanize and subjugate workers; and the effect is the equivalent of modern-day slavery,” the letter reads.
It also states, “For years, DPW has operated a system of labor that demands that its workers, many of whom have prior criminal convictions, perform grueling manual labor in dangerous, subhuman conditions for laughable wages. The agency has perpetuated a system where workers cannot ask for assistance, complain about their plight, or even quit—because if they do, they face retaliation, termination, and jail time.”
Per the lawsuit, the DPW punished workers who raised concerns about their working conditions by giving them more difficult routes, restricting water access, and withholding basic supplies.
In addition to this, a MOSH investigation, Baltimore’s safety agency, discovered that the department did not maintain an adequate heat safety training course or emergency plans. In the months preceding the death of Silver, safety reports from Baltimore’s Inspector General described conditions at DPW sites as dangerous, citing a lack of access to water, poor training, and unsafe vehicles.
Although the DPW made some changes following Silver’s death, the family’s representation believes that the department and the City of Baltimore can and should do more to protect its workers.
“The short answer is not nearly enough has been done. But even as the city scrambles to make sense of the mistakes they made and to prevent future deaths, the city of Baltimore and the Department of Public Works also has to reckon with and take responsibility for the harm and death they’ve already caused,” a statement from the family’s lawyer to WBAL noted.
At least one of Silver’s co-workers, Travis Christian, has joined the civil rights lawsuit, and he issued his own statement regarding his decision to participate in the lawsuit to the outlet.
“I hope that this lawsuit brings comfort and justice to Mr. Silver’s family, and I hope that his children will live a better life, and I hope this also sheds light on the horrific conditions that us DPW workers face on a daily basis,” Christian told WBAL.
Meanwhile, in a lengthy statement sent to the outlet, the Baltimore DPW argued that it has made improvements to its policies, spurred by the 2024 death of Silver.
“We recognize and respect the family’s right to pursue any legal action they believe is appropriate. While we do not comment on pending legal matters, we do want to emphasize the importance of workplace safety. Over the past year, we have invested significantly in workplace safety in response to both the recommendations of the external report commissioned by the city, as well as the state’s new heat safety rules that were enacted in September 2024,” the DPW stated.
They continued, setting out that they have taken steps to address the issues at their work sites that may have contributed to Silver’s death.
“During this process, we’ve maintained ongoing conversations with our crews, city stakeholders, and union representatives. We’ve listened, we’ve reflected, and we’ve acted, examining our policies and investing in our people.”
The DPW concluded, “We are especially proud of our Solid Waste crews, whose honesty, resilience, and commitment have helped guide this transformation. Without their voices, this progress would not be possible. We are moving forward with renewed energy and clarity to support our workforce and build a stronger future for all of Baltimore.”
RELATED CONTENT: Arson Investigation Underway After Fire Guts Historic Clayborn Temple
