Method of Configuring and of Operating a Monitored Automated Work Cell and Configuration Apparatus

A method of configuring and of operating a monitored automated work cell, wherein the work cell has at least one dangerous machine and at least one monitoring device includes the following steps: transmitting machine space data defining at least one work space of the machine to a configuration apparatus for the monitoring device; generating protective space data by the configuration apparatus using the machine space data, with the protective space data defining at least one protective space of the monitoring device which encompasses the work space of the machine such that the protective space completely or partly corresponds to the work space or that the protective space is larger than the work space; and transferring the protective space data to the monitoring device so that the monitoring device monitors the protective space; and a configuration device for configuring a monitoring device monitoring an automated work cell.