Top security at 3 mile island

A security guard at the Three Mile Island nuclear power plant was so absorbed in playing a hand-held video game that he failed to see an inspector approach during a surprise inspection, the agency said.
The employee did not violate any rules as guards are allowed to engage in mind-stimulating activities, the state Department of Environmental Protection said.

But the alleged lapse — which follows five other reports of employee inattention in the past two years — is prompting officials to review current policies.

"The issue is not the guard's use of the video game," Kathleen McGinty, secretary of the environmental agency, said in a statement.

"The real issue is that his complete absorption in the game distracted him from noticing the repeated approach of our inspector. And that shows why this procedure needs to be changed and these video games disallowed," she said.