Nuclear Inspection Van

The Nuclear Inspection Van is a vehicle used by inspectors from the Nuclear Regulatory Commission. The term "van" is a bit of a misnomer, as the vehicle is approximately the same size as a mobile home RV.

The van contains a simulated workstation which the inspectors use to evaluate the competence of nucear power plant employees. When Homer has his turn in the simulator, the supervising inspector assures Homer that the simulator is an exact replica of his real-life workstation in the nuclear power plant and that nothing can go wrong. Even so, Homer manages to cause a meltdown which releases massive amounts of radiation and melts a hole in the parking lot large enough to swallow up the van. This leaves the inspectors completely baffled, because the van doesn't have any nuclear material in it.