And on Monday, he tested the pumps at the Southwest City Service Mobile Station in Racine with the department's secretary, Ben Brancel, watching his every move. This year state officials traveled to Racine and Kenosha counties. He showed the secretary how he checks the meters for accuracy, alternating the speed with which he dispenses the gasoline, and carefully grounding the equipment before he begins to guard against unwanted sparks. It takes him two and half-hours to check eighteen pumps, a typical gas station, he said. But with the advent of mega gasoline stations boasting more than a hundred pumps, the task can take more than a week, he said.
Testing is done at random and unannounced.
Consumer complaints also prompt inspections. Dobrinska said he usually responds in a day or two to complaints. A green seal with the department's logo is placed on each pump after it has been tested by the state. Not all gas pumps are tested by the state. Some cities do their own testing.