Apparatus and method for monitoring a detection area at a working means

Device for monitoring a detection region (6) to a working medium with at least one camera (5) for the continuous detection of the detection region (6), with an evaluation unit, in which to distinguish safety-critical objects of non-safety-critical objects within at least one protection zone (7) within the detection range (6) (5) images generated are read in each case in the form of a matrix of pixels having different color values, wherein a weighted with weighting factors linear combination of the color values ​​is formed in the evaluation unit for the individual pixels of the camera, said linear combinations with at least one in a threshold unit generated threshold value are evaluated, wherein the threshold value and the weighting factors are adjusted so that the safety-critical objects form regions of foreground pixels, each having a for example as "bright" formed first Binarisierungszustand, wherein the non-safety-critical objects form formed second Binarisierungszustand areas of background pixels, each having a for example as "dark", where in the case that there is no safety-critical object located in the protection zone, so that background pixel in these are only present, one of the evaluation unit for working medium out switching output assumes a first switching state, whereby the operating means is taken into operation, and whereinin penetration of at least one safety-critical object in the protection zone (7) in that a contiguous region of foreground pixels is created, so that the switching output assumes a second switching state, whereby the working medium is put out of operation via the evaluation unit.