I may be wrong, but the way its been explained to me it. It saves the user from any chance of an electric shock if they touch broken buttons etc with wet hands bla bla bla. Better than 230V through a switch if you can minimise all risks then it is ment to be safer?!
In all fairness once you have your head round it, it is actually fairly easy to understand. All control panels i build at work now have to have volt free switching with illuminations being seperate and a solid button.
I have some wiring diagrams i can email you showing how volt free switching can used in switching simple 3 phase contactors, relays if it would be of any help.
Mike