A monitoring device for monitoring at least one fluorescent lamp, particularly in areas at risk of explosion, which fluorescent lamp has a lamp tube with electrodes arranged on the ends thereof in the form of coils, and lamp sockets assigned to said electrodes, is improved for preventing large temperature increases in a corresponding fluorescent lamp, particularly in areas at risk of explosion, by complying with the appropriate explosion safety measure, in that the monitoring device has at least one temperature measuring device assigned to a coil, and one electro-mechanical interruption device with which the energy supply to the fluorescent lamp can be interrupted upon reaching a preset critical temperature value.