Lifting device with a catching device, consisting of a lifting mechanism for manipulating at least one working means, whereby the lifting mechanism is driveable by means of drive means and the catching device consists of at least one brake rail, the effective length of which corresponds to the total lifting height of the lifting mechanism, and at least one catch brake that has at least two catching jaws, which are movable against the brake rail by at least one actuator and arranged on both sides of the brake rail, and whereby the catching device stands in operative connection with a device for monitoring the function of the lifting mechanism, which in the case of failure of statically relevant components and/or a drive component and/or an otherwise caused unacceptable lowering movement of the lifting mechanism triggers the at least one actuator, characterised in that - the lifting device is a scissor lift with at least two scissor legs (4, 5), which form a scissor cross, are rotatably connected to each other at the point of intersection and the free ends of which are each pivotally mounted in a horizontal frame (6, 7), whereby always at least one of the free ends in the frame (6, 7) can also undergo guided horizontal displacement, - the at least one brake rail is fixedly disposed at at least one of the frames (6, 7) along the horizontal travel of the guided displaceable end of the scissor leg or the scissor legs (4, 5) - in the direction of the horizontal travel as well as in its height with respect to the horizontal guide of this scissor leg or these scissor legs (4, 5) and - is movably disposed horizontally perpendicular to the travel of the end of this scissor leg or these scissor legs (4, 5), i.e. in the direction of the pivot axis of this scissor leg or these scissor legs (4, 5), - the at least one catch brake is fixedly disposed at the guided horizontally displaceable end of that scissor leg or those scissor legs (4, 5), which is or are guided in the at least one frame (6, 7) connected to the brake rail or brake rails and - at least one catching jaw of each catch brake always has at least one sliding strip, which is spring mounted so as to be movable in the direction of the braking movement of the catching jaws and the surface of which under the pressure of the spring load projects slightly beyond the brake surface of the catching jaws. - the lifting device is a scissor lift with at least two scissor legs (4, 5), which form a scissor cross, are rotatably connected to each other at the point of intersection and the free ends of which are each pivotally mounted in a horizontal frame (6, 7), whereby always at least one of the free ends in the frame (6, 7) can also undergo guided horizontal displacement, - the at least one brake rail is fixedly disposed at at least one of the frames (6, 7) along the horizontal travel of the guided displaceable end of the scissor leg or the scissor legs (4, 5) - in the direction of the horizontal travel as well as in its height with respect to the horizontal guide of this scissor leg or these scissor legs (4, 5) and - is movably disposed horizontally perpendicular to the travel of the end of this scissor leg or these scissor legs (4, 5), i.e. in the direction of the pivot axis of this scissor leg or these scissor legs (4, 5), - in the direction of the horizontal travel as well as in its height with respect to the horizontal guide of this scissor leg or these scissor legs (4, 5) and - is movably disposed horizontally perpendicular to the travel of the end of this scissor leg or these scissor legs (4, 5), i.e. in the direction of the pivot axis of this scissor leg or these scissor legs (4, 5), - the at least one catch brake is fixedly disposed at the guided horizontally displaceable end of that scissor leg or those scissor legs (4, 5), which is or are guided in the at least one frame (6, 7) connected to the brake rail or brake rails and - at least one catching jaw of each catch brake always has at least one sliding strip, which is spring mounted so as to be movable in the direction of the braking movement of the catching jaws and the surface of which under the pressure of the spring load projects slightly beyond the brake surface of the catching jaws.