WSDA Blog

Date: Wednesday, February 5, 2025

Author: Karla Salp

Tucked away in an unassuming building in an out-of-the way place in Tumwater, Washington State Metrologist Leslie German works (mostly) alone in a warehouse day after day. “UPS and Fed Ex are usually my only visitors,” she jokes. But in this little-known place, Leslie is impacting multiple aspects of the lives of Washington residents in multiple ways, every single day.


_{Leslie German demonstrates comparing a standard on an ultrafine scale.}

If your day starts by getting up and brushing your teeth, grabbing some orange juice, cereal, or turkey bacon, taking some medication or supplements, and stopping by to get some fuel on your way to work or school, German and the WSDA Metrology Lab have already had at least four touchpoints on your day:

• Ensuring the amount of toothpaste in your tube is accurate.
• Ensuring that the volume of orange juice or weight of cereal or bacon you purchased is accurate.
• Ensuring that the amount of product in your medicine or supplement is accurate.
• Ensuring that the fuel dispensed from the pump is accurate.

Built to weigh and measure

As the State Metrologist, German (and her part-time helper, Jay Conklin) is responsible for verifying that commercial measurements of volume, mass, and time are accurate. Built to spec in 1977, WSDA’s Metrology Lab is unlikely to move — ever. This is due largely to the fact that the cost of creating a new facility to meet the rigorous and precise building specifications would be astronomical today, as other states considering building new metrology labs have discovered.


_{Cement tables in the metrology lab help ensure equipment accuracy.} 

“This building was built with specific requirements to ensure the accuracy of our measuring tests and processes,” German says. The building was constructed to mitigate vibrations. This includes an all-concrete, solid foundation, windowless rooms, and areas with careful climate control. If there was an emergency and you needed a safe room, the WSDA metrology lab would be ideal.

“This is government at its best,” German says. “Measurement certification and standardization ensures fairness for both the consumer and the business,” German continues. It provides confidence to consumers that they are getting the amount they pay for and on the other side, supports businesses by making sure they are paid for everything they provide and are not unintentionally giving away product for free.”

Ultra-fine is ultra-rare

Last month, German and the Metrology Lab again passed the National Voluntary Accreditation Program (NVLAP) accreditation at the ultra-fine level. This allows the lab to certify weights from 4,000 pounds to 1 milligram — extremely precise measurements that are necessary to measure and weigh pharmaceuticals. This is one of only eight labs in the country allowed to certify standards to this level of precision.


_{Wearing gloves helps prevent body heat from throwing off ultrafine measuring equipment.} 

The room where Leslie conducts the ultrafine tests is windowless and in the center of the building where it is most stable and where the temperature is well controlled. The instruments are on tables made of concrete for further stability. The comparators are so sensitive that breathing on the comparator (the comparator is enclosed to prevent this) or even the heat from your body (German wears gloves when placing weights) can throw off the measurement.

Obtaining NVLAP accreditation to certify ultrafine measurements is a grueling three-day test where German must prove that she can not only provide exceptional results but that she follows all procedures and regulations (which are regularly updated and changing) to the letter. She must even prove that she can do all the math and calculations by hand — “just in case.” It takes five years to become proficient in all tasks required of the state metrologist and you must pass an exam to even be considered for the position.

No perfect measurements, only perfect procedures

One might assume that certifying measurements is as easy as “zeroing out” a known standard and then seeing if the measurement in question matches. But it is not so simple. All measurement certifications are conducted by a series of measurement comparisons to certify that the standards are correct within a maximum permissible error. For example, it takes two full days to run the comparisons needed to certify a 32-piece weight set, run it through mass code programming, validate, and certify the weights.


_{Although accredited for ultrafine measurements, the Metrology Lab can certifiy weights up to 4,000 pounds.} 

This sequence of measurements is why German says there are no perfect measurements, only perfect procedures. Following established, universal constants for methods of measuring allows Leslie to verify whether a given standard (measuring device) falls within the acceptable margin of error for certification.

Interestingly, the procedures incorporate the variability within the person doing the measuring themselves. No two people are going to place a weight on a scale exactly the same way, for example. German says that, when recovering from surgery, she had difficulty staying within the norm for standard deviations for heavy weights as she rebuilt her strength. She also notes that her assistant is steadier with heavier weights while she has a steadier hand with the small weights.


_{The most precise way to ensure accuracy when measuring volume is to run a glass plate across the top. A great tip for bakers!}

Passion for perfection

It is staggering to think how Leslie German’s work touches countless aspects of the lives of Washington residents.

“I’m pretty proud of that,” German beams. “Maintaining accreditation is a huge part of the job. You have to be meticulous in your work habits and there is always a challenge. I think it is freaking cool. It’s a fun job.”