An apparatus on a spinning room machine, especially a spinning preparation machine, is arranged for monitoring an electric drive motor, which is connected to an electronic speed-setting and/or regulating device, a rotating operating element being connected to the drive motor. In order to monitor the drive motor so that no damage occurs even under different operating conditions, there is a device for automatically determining the loading of the drive motor during operation, which is connected to a device for comparison with pre-set values for the loading, to which there is connected a display and/or switching device which can be supplied with electrical signals in the event of departures.