Abstract: A safety residential lever arm switch which can only be thrown when the lever arm is first depressed. In an electrical switch of the type having a front housing having a central frontal opening, a lever arm positioned within the front housing and projecting through the frontal opening, and a rear housing having a front side portion adapted to mate with the front housing, a safety feature comprising: structure requiring an outward end portion of the lever arm to be pushed inwardly before it can be pivoted so that a user may, with a single hand, first depress the lever arm, and then pivot the lever arm between on and off position. A button end portion of a shaft extending from an outward end portion of the lever arm is first depressed. Alternatively, the lever arm in its entirety is depressed inwardly so that the switch can then be thrown.