The invention relates to a safety switch unit (1) for electrically controlled machines for use in combination with the actual control elements of the machine control system in a hand-held application or for manual control, with at least one operating element which is displaced relative to a mounting frame (8) in accordance with the switching function desired by a user, which is designed to change the switch status of at least one electric switch element, the safety switch unit (1) having at least one switch position which is maintained only as long as a sufficiently high operating force is applied to the displaceable operating elements. Two operating elements for at least one respective electric switch element (14, 15) can be displaced in translation or rotation to a limited degree relative to the mounting frame (8) about a respective pivot axis of two pivot bearings and provide a substantially translating or straight operating movement of the safety switch unit (1) by means of a push button unit (2) which is disposed in front of the two operating elements by reference to the operating direction—arrow (13)—of the safety switch unit (1).