A switching device has: a contact secured to a housing; a movable contact arranged on a contact arm arranged to be movable inside the switching device and including an extension facing away from the movable contact, the movable contact being designed to enter in contact with the contact that is secured to the housing; a breaker mechanism connected to the movable contact arm; a manually operated lever which is connected to the breaker mechanism; and a snap-action closing mechanism including a rotatably mounted snap action rocker which is controlled by a first cam of the manually operated lever and which includes a contact arm-catching unit that is to come in contact with the extension of the contact arm. The contact arm-catching unit preferably has a surface hardness which is greater than or equal to the surface hardness of the extension of the contact arm.