Health physics experiences during the operation of Pelletron Heavy Ion Accelerator

14UD Pelletron Accelerator is housed in a specially built concrete tower at Tata Institute of Fundamental Research (T.I.F.R.) Complex, Colaba, Bombay. It is a two stage electrostatic accelerator accelerating heavy ions upto (n+1) 14MeV energy where n is charge state of the ions. 14UD pelletron accelerator has its test runs with protons and alphas and heavy ions such as C, Ni, O, Si and Cl. This paper discusses the measured radiation environments around the accelerator complex during the test runs as well as during operation of the accelerator with different ion beams, when the beam was brought to the beam hall No. 1. The walls of this beam hall being originally designed for 1 MeV accelerator, high dose rates were observed during test operation. This paper also suggests the augmentation of the shielding in the beam hall and the restriction on the beam current depending upon the ions accelerated so as to reduce the dose levels in the occupied areas. (author). 2 refs., 2 figs., 3 tabs