To increase safety when working on electrical installations, a switching device which has a first switch position and a second switch position, includes a first movable switch contact contacting a first contact part in the first switch position and a third contact part in the second switch position, and a second movable switch contact contacting a second contact part in the first switch position and a fourth contact part in the second switch position, wherein the third contact part and the fourth contact part are conductively connected with one another. The switching device can be constructed as a ground-fault circuit interrupter and/or a line circuit breaker.