Three Points of Contact: How to Follow This Golden Rule

Falls remain the top cause of death in the construction industry and a leading cause of injuries. But one basic, often-overlooked rule can help prevent them: the three points of contact rule. OSHA requires three points of contact when climbing up and down ladders, but the rule applies in several other situations as well.

What is three points of contact?

Maintaining three points of contact means keeping either two hands and one foot or one hand and two feet on the ladder you’re climbing or the vehicle or piece of equipment you’re mounting or dismounting. These three parts of your body will form a small triangle. The smaller the triangle, the better.

Following the three points of contact rule helps prevent falls from ladders, falls from equipment and trucks and slips, trip and falls on stairs.

It’s an easy rule to break, especially if you’re in a hurry or if other workers are waiting behind you. In fact, complying with it often requires a deliberate effort. But avoiding a fall that takes you out of commission saves time — and perhaps a trip to the ER — in the end.

Three points of contact on a ladder

Falls from ladders can end careers or even lives. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, 161 people died in 2020 as a result of ladder use. Choosing the right ladder and setting it up correctly can go a long way toward preventing ladder accidents. So can the three points of contact rule, considering how easy it is to miss a step or slip on a rung, and how tempting it might be in some situations to extend your body beyond the side rails.

To follow the three points of contact rule on a ladder:

• Clear your boots and the ladder rungs of any mud, snow or grease.

• Mount or dismount the ladder facing the ladder.

• Keep one hand and two feet, or two hands and one foot, on the ladder, preferably on the rungs instead of the side rails.

• Carry small tools in a toolbelt and hoist larger items to height. This keeps both of your hands free for gripping the ladder.

Three points of contact on forklifts, heavy equipment and trucks

Many equipment operators get into some bad habits, including stepping onto tires or forklift tines to mount or dismount the vehicle. But falls from equipment are more common than you might think. To help prevent them:

• Clear your boots and the steps or running board of any mud, snow or grease.

• Keep your hands free; don’t carry anything.

• Face the equipment when you mount and dismount.

• Maintain three points of contact with support bars/rails, steps or platforms until you sit in the cab or stand on the ground. Check the owner’s manual for the best points of contact.

• Never jump off or mount the vehicle via tines, tires or other surfaces not intended for stepping on.

It may be tempting to hop straight to the ground from the cab, but the impact can hurt your ankles, knees or lower back, especially if you do it over and over again.

Before dismounting equipment, check the ground for mud, and check the surroundings for moving vehicles. If you’ve maintained three points of contact, you’ll be able to pull yourself back onto the equipment in a hurry if necessary.

A note about forklift tines in particular: Tines may support your weight, but they are optimized for pallets, not feet, so stay off them to avoid an accident.

Three points of contact on stairs

Climbing wet or mud-covered stairs or climbing any stairs with tools or materials in your hands is a recipe for a fall, especially if the stairs are metal.

Stairs that aren’t a permanent fixture may require rails. If the stairs have rails, hold onto one of them. Ideally, stairs should have rails on both sides so you can grasp the rail with your dominant hand. Stair nosings and good lighting make stairs safer.

Other basic fall prevention measures

When using a ladder or mounting or dismounting equipment, keep these other fall prevention rules in mind.

• Inspect ladders before use. If a ladder has any missing or loose rungs, tag it out so that no one uses it until it’s repaired or replaced.

• Place ladders on a stable, level surface. Don’t place it in mud or on top of a box or barrel, for instance.

• Set up ladders at the proper distance. The distance from the base of the ladder to the wall should be one quarter of the working length of the ladder.

• Never mount or dismount moving equipment. The machine should be stationary and turned off.

• Don’t grip the steering wheel or an operating lever when dismounting. Use the intended handholds.

• Park machines on even ground before dismounting. Don’t park on a ramp or hill and then try to exit the machine.

• Lower attachments before dismounting equipment. That includes the boom of an excavator and the forks of a forklift.

Explore the fall protection training classes offered by United Rentals.