There is no obvious, across-the-board down side of an Informal Settlement Agreement; it would seem to depend on the specifics of the case/citation. That is, whether an employer believe the citations would stand up to a challenge, whether an employer could negotiate down more than the Settlement Agreement that has been offered, etc. Also, an employer needs to evaluate what the Settlement Agreement terms contain and whether that would make business sense versus abating the hazard another way and paying the penalty.