How can I change/fix a light switch without getting electrocuted?

Purchase a voltage tester. Less than $20 depending on the brand you buy. Turn off the breaker for the switch and check the wires on the switch. I have seen cross connections in fixtures that leave the wires hot from another wire being connected so be sure the wires you are working on are dead. I think I paid $12 for my Greenlee teater. It has a light and sound when hot wires are touched with the end of it.
How can I change/fix a light switch without getting electrocuted?
turn of the breaker
How can I change/fix a light switch without getting electrocuted?
Turn the power off.
easy, turn of the general power



but if you did not know this, you may not try to fix the switch, couse once you doi it and put the general power on again, you might cause a fire
First you have shut the power go in the panelbox and look for the lighting circuit your working on and shut it off. Second remove the screw to the cover plate and the two screw for the actual light switch and slowly pull it straight out and notice which wire is is on the top and which is in the bottom make a note of it then remove wires and replace the switch with a new one place the wires the same way they were before and tighten them and push into place and screw it to the box with the 2 screws you removed and the cover plate also with its 1 screw ..Last of all turn breaker back on and your done...
Seriously, if you need to ask something like that, call an electrician or someone that knows what they are doing.
Just call an electrician!
You need to shut the power off or the live wire will arc (spark) when you hit it with a screwdriver (which you need to do to disconnect it from the switch).



I doubt you'll get electrocuted (unless you're standing in water), but it'll cause a lot of sparks and maybe give you a shock or two before the circuit breaker trips on it's own.
Turn off the power to it at the breaker box. If it's broken in the off position you can use a voltage tester at the switch.
Turn off the electricity at the main circuit box.
flip the braker on the breaker panell
Turn the breaker off to that circuit.