When it comes to ladder safety, there’s a difference between three-point control and the traditional three-point contact rule. Three-point control is a climbing method that involves always using three or four limbs distributed over three or four locations for reliable support. Three-point contact involves simply coming into contact with the ladder at three points without necessarily requiring a reliable hand grip for support. Three-point contact is sometimes referred to as the three-point stance, an American football term used to describe the stance of a lineman with two feet planted in and one hand in contact with the ground.
Critical to three-point control is grasping the ladder so that one hand can bear the full weight of the body, if needed, and distributing the climber’s weight among three or four rungs. The three-point control method distributes the climber’s weight among three or four rungs, which is safest. If one foot slips during a foot transition, two hands should be grasping the ladder rungs to support the body weight. If either foot slips during a hand transition, the climber’s weight can be supported with a hand and a foot. If both feet slip during a hand transition, the climber’s weight is transferred to one or both hands.