The best health and safety bloke I ever knew was one in a small charter/reg 203 mob yonks ago in Oz, long before this so-called confidential reporting system crap ever started. Actually he was a full time engineer but part time H&S (leaned more on the S side but as a member of the St Johns ambo brigade knew a good bit about the S too) and the mob paid him a small allowance for his extra service. This all started with his boss's experiment of wanting "happy safe pilots and staff" even though the boss was a complete arsehole which was the main source of their misery.
Anyway there were no bull**** forms, no indirect company spying, no hidden agendas, no bloody reports (written or verbal), and he detested the DOT as much as everybody else...just come on in sit down and chat about it. He was easy to talk to and even looked like the old friendly bloke who pulls your beers down the pub - in fact very often this is where his sessions ended up finishing - and from what I heard covered everything from burnt arms from hot engines to suicidal tendencies to assisting a sudden birth on board a PA31 to dropping recharged oxy cylinders on toes to addiction of getting high on betel nut(!!?) - things your average DOT "safety" piss ant would love to pull a LAME ticket/CPL for back then.
This gentleman gained trust and integrity from those who sought his advice, so much so he heard more about aviation H&S issues than any damn "safety" official would ever hope for in a lifetime. He even entertained those of us from rival outfits - again all free with no hidden motivation nor agendas (much to the chagrin of his boss).
He took a few notes during each session to help him arrive at a solution and/or formulate useful advice, and afterwards he gave all his notes back to you - and he never kept copies. Sadly he died just after I joined TAA, and of course his funeral was packed with even those who barely knew him.
Why'd he do this? It was universally accepted its what he wanted to do, so that he just might make a difference to some poor cornered bugger who'd never dare go to anyone official. There was a rumor his missus had mentioned he was writing a book about what the official "safety" guys never get to hear about in aviation, but it never came to be (IMO there probably was no such book being writ).
Apart from his advice I learned a lot about how absolute integrity and character is essential in positions such as this. And in my dealings and things I've heard since (examples on request), the bigger the company the less integrity there is. I wouldn't trust the damn sods as far as I could throw 'em - the less "confidential" dirt they have on you the less chance of losing your licence and/or job if you're ever in the hot seat in the future.
PS - before anyone jumps the gun I'm not saying all DOT safety guys were total dicks - Mac Job had impeccable credentials.