Overview
- OIG agents who visited the Patapsco plant on July 1, 2026, reported chemical odors, parts of the building reaching extreme heat, nonworking showers and eyewash stations, cracked floors, broken fans and a leaking pipe with possible sewage.
- Inspectors identified the odor in the Return 2 Building as a polymer used at the facility and warned that prolonged inhalation can cause fever‑ and flu‑like symptoms for workers.
- The city and the Department of Public Works say crews were at the plant the day after the OIG visit to remove debris, test and repair HVAC units, fix the leaking pipe, take the chemical laboratory out of service and relocate staff away from deficient areas.
- AFSCME called the conditions unacceptable and urged broader upgrades across DPW sites, while the OIG and city say longer‑term rehabilitation of the aging Return 2 Building and other fixes remain necessary.
- This report updates a multi‑year oversight thread that includes a 2024 OIG review of DPW facilities and the heat‑related death of a sanitation worker, underscoring continuing concerns about worker safety, heat protocols and sustained investment at DPW sites.