Issues are outlined in multiple reports by the Inspector General claiming that Baltimore's Department of Public Works doesn't provide a safe working condition.
Now, Stancil McNair is speaking out on the issues he sees at DPW.
"We come into a workplace where our essentials are not met at all, you gotta ask for them. How you might go into work and go in the bathroom there's toilet paper, we have to ask for toilet paper under lock and key," said McNair, whose worked at DPW for 11 years.
McNair backs up the Inspector General's report, saying essentials like Gatorade and toilet paper are locked up at some DPW sites and that buildings are in disarray without cold running water or working A/C units.
He says the issue is with management.
"The harsh conditions sum up with the supervision, the harsh conditions is like that because they got the wrong people overseeing us," said McNair.
He collects trash from the back of a truck, dependent on a driver to keep him safe.
He says sometimes those drivers are unprepared for the job and it's easy to see.
"We done had drivers that come in and work for us [that] don't have proper training. We tell the supervisor about it and they tell us just to try and make it through the day. How you trying to tell us to make it through the day with a person who's not driving properly," said McNair.
His fear is the lack of safe conditions could lead to injuries or even worse.
"When you forget about these buildings and stuff, we're talking about human beings. We're not talking about these buildings and facilities, we're talking about human beings.
Everyone wants to talk about these buildings and stuff, what about us?" said McNair.
Mayor Brandon Scott addressed the issue during his media availability, talking about the changes coming to the facilities
"What we can not allow to happen is the understanding that we're talking about facilities that have zero, zilch, nada investment and now you have an administration that is going to be building new ones so they can have the facilities they deserve," said Mayor Scott.
In a statement the Baltimore city union said:
"The update to the OIG's report produced on Tuesday, July 23 should suggest to the public and affirms to us at the union that Baltimore City refuses to address infrastructural flaws at work sites across the city. While the OIG's report focuses on DPW facilities, we have found DPW is not the only agency with unacceptable, bordering on inhumane work conditions. The recent heatwave only exacerbated the challenges our members face going to work. Sadly, I even had to respond to urine leaking from the ceiling of a Baltimore city work site."
