A guard locking element (4) actuatable by means of an electric drive (6). By means of the electric drive (6), the guard locking element (4) can be brought into a blocking position such that an actuator (2) of a safety switch is locked by said guard locking element. The guard locking element (4) is connected to the electric drive (6) by means of a coupling (11) such that a rotary motion of the electric drive (6) is converted into a purely translatory motion of the guard locking element (4).