(a) Any person may report a possible violation of any regulation in this subchapter or any other hazardous or unsafe working condition on any unit engaged in OCS activities to an Officer in Charge, Marine Inspection.

(b) After reviewing the report and conducting any necessary investigation, the Officer in Charge, Marine Inspection, notifies the owner or operator of any deficiency or hazard and initiates enforcement measures as the circumstances warrant.

(c) The identity of any person making a report under paragraph (a) of this section is not made available, without the permission of the reporting person, to anyone other than those officers and employees of the Department of Transportation who have a need for the record in the performance of their official duties.