Handling and mounting protection device

The invention is in the field of handling and mounting technology for sensitive components, in particular vehicle airbag pressure sensors which can be surface mounted. Such sensors have a contact-sensitive upper side which is formed by a gel covering over the actual semiconductor chip. In particular when such components are mounted on a printed circuit board, contact with the gel covering cannot always be prevented. However, contact may adversely affect the satisfactory functioning of such a component that is critical for safety, which cannot be tolerated in many applications. A handling and mounting protection device is described that has a cap-shaped configuration with a covering layer which covers a contact-sensitive upper side of a component which is to be protected. Extending from the covering layer are locking arms with locking hooks which, in the state in which they are fitted onto the component, engage behind undercuts in the component in such a way that even after the component has been mounted they can still be released from it.