Method for monitoring a safety switching device for unlocking a dangerous machine operation of an electrically controlled machine, wherein the safety switching device has a plurality of electronic output switching stages (13, 14) for redundantly coupling-in of a release information in a multi-circuit, redundant safety circuit and has a control and monitoring unit for determining the release information from one or multiple sensor input signals, comprising the steps: monitoring a conductor condition of at least an electronic output switching stage (13, 14) of the plurality of output switching stages (13, 14) by means of the control and monitoring unit, and deactivating at least one further output switching stage (13, 14) of the output switching stages (13, 14) by means of the control and monitoring unit if the monitored conductor condition indicates an error state, wherein the deactivating of the at least one further output switching stage (13, 14) is formed by an opening of an electronic switching element of the at least one further output switching stage (13, 14) if the electronic switching element is closed, wherein the deactivating of the at least one further output switching stage (13, 14) is formed by a suppressing of a closing of the electronic switching element of the at least one further output switching stage (13, 14) if the electronic switching element is opened, wherein the safety switching device for monitoring the conductor condition of the at least one output switching stage (13, 14) is monitored by means of a test current, which is guided over the electronic switching element, of a voltage or current source of the safety switching device, wherein the current of the safety circuit and the test current are decoupled by means of two counter-switched diodes (91, 9b), and wherein for monitoring the conductor condition of the at least one output switching stage (13, 14), the corresponding electronic switching element is impinged with the test current, wherein the conductor condition of the at least one output switching stage (13, 14) is determined in dependence of the flow of the test current over the switching element. monitoring a conductor condition of at least an electronic output switching stage (13, 14) of the plurality of output switching stages (13, 14) by means of the control and monitoring unit, and deactivating at least one further output switching stage (13, 14) of the output switching stages (13, 14) by means of the control and monitoring unit if the monitored conductor condition indicates an error state, wherein the deactivating of the at least one further output switching stage (13, 14) is formed by an opening of an electronic switching element of the at least one further output switching stage (13, 14) if the electronic switching element is closed, wherein the deactivating of the at least one further output switching stage (13, 14) is formed by a suppressing of a closing of the electronic switching element of the at least one further output switching stage (13, 14) if the electronic switching element is opened, wherein the safety switching device for monitoring the conductor condition of the at least one output switching stage (13, 14) is monitored by means of a test current, which is guided over the electronic switching element, of a voltage or current source of the safety switching device, wherein the current of the safety circuit and the test current are decoupled by means of two counter-switched diodes (91, 9b), and wherein for monitoring the conductor condition of the at least one output switching stage (13, 14), the corresponding electronic switching element is impinged with the test current, wherein the conductor condition of the at least one output switching stage (13, 14) is determined in dependence of the flow of the test current over the switching element.