Always maintain three points of contact when using ladders. That implies always having two hands and one foot, or two feet and one hand, on the ladder. Try not to bend your knee against a wall unless you are going up or down a very small step. The third point of contact is usually taken by contacting some kind of anchor such as a beam or a nail-studded 2x4. This anchor provides additional support if you need it. Contacting an anchor is safer than bending your body weight over a single joint, such as your knee. An injured joint may cause you to fall even though you are still in possession of both hands and both feet. Contacting an anchor is also useful if you want to move the ladder around a building or structure without fear of it falling over. For example, you could contact an overhead beam and then slide the ladder forward or back while keeping its contact with the beam. Contacting an anchor is especially important if you are working at high elevations, where the risk of injury from a fall is greater. At higher elevations, objects look closer together and seem to jump out at you. You can avoid injury by allowing yourself more time to make decisions about how to proceed.