Starting safety circuit in a work device with an internal combustion engine

The circuit (40) has an operation sensor assigned to a safety brake device for emitting a first status signal as to an operating state of the brake device. A start position sensor (43) is arranged on an operating mode selector (31) for emitting a second status signal. A circuit combines the first and second status signals so as to cause a control unit to disable the operation of an engine i.e. internal combustion engine when the operating mode selector is in a start position (III) and the safety braking device is in an operationally ready state (B) with a brake unit released.