A method and a device monitor operating parameters in a passenger transport installation, such as an elevator or an escalator, having a plurality of sensors detecting different operating parameters and a signal processing device. The method steps include: repeatedly detecting a first operating parameter with a first of the sensors; triggering a second of the sensors as soon as the first operating parameter assumes a predetermined trigger characteristic; detecting a second operating parameter with the second sensor and transmitting a signal reproducing the detected second operating parameter to the signal processing device in response to the triggering; and processing the signal in the signal processing device or an external monitoring device for monitoring the second operating parameter. The method and device reduce a data processing amount and/or a data transmission amount, reduce a need for wiring and achieve complex sensor functions with the simple sensors that cooperate with one another.