Why so much engineering? A footpedal introduces an element of accidental turning on why the hands are dangerously close to the blades. How about instead a labelmaker? Or a convention, say red switches mean garbage disposal, closest to the sink, etc.<p>Mostly I think a big point here is why everyone thinks of the residential power switches as strictly for lights? The are other things I turn on with "light-switches". These include: ceiling fans, wall sockets, vent fans and all power to my garage.  I have never thought of this as unexpected, and no guest at my house has ever complained that I should take the fans off of 'lights only' switches.