REVENUES (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions	3 Months Ended		12 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2018	Mar. 31, 2017	Dec. 31, 2017
Disaggregation of revenue
Net sales	$ 3,470.9	$ 3,162.4	$ 13,835.9
Global Industrial
Disaggregation of revenue
Net sales	1,226.0	1,114.2
Global Institutional
Disaggregation of revenue
Net sales	1,206.2	1,074.5
Global Energy
Disaggregation of revenue
Net sales	842.9	757.9
Other
Disaggregation of revenue
Net sales	195.8	215.8
Product and equipment
Disaggregation of revenue
Net sales	2,847.2	2,604.4
Product and equipment | Global Industrial
Disaggregation of revenue
Net sales	1,055.6	963.7
Product and equipment | Global Institutional
Disaggregation of revenue
Net sales	1,038.6	927.6
Product and equipment | Global Energy
Disaggregation of revenue
Net sales	734.4	671.0
Product and equipment | Other
Disaggregation of revenue
Net sales	18.6	42.1
Service and lease
Disaggregation of revenue
Net sales	623.7	558.0
Service and lease | Global Industrial
Disaggregation of revenue
Net sales	170.4	150.5
Service and lease | Global Institutional
Disaggregation of revenue
Net sales	167.6	146.9
Service and lease | Global Energy
Disaggregation of revenue
Net sales	108.5	86.9
Service and lease | Other
Disaggregation of revenue
Net sales	177.2	173.7
North America | Global Industrial
Disaggregation of revenue
Net sales	556.8	521.2
North America | Global Institutional
Disaggregation of revenue
Net sales	816.9	768.4
North America | Global Energy
Disaggregation of revenue
Net sales	485.0	430.1
North America | Other
Disaggregation of revenue
Net sales	130.0	160.3
Europe | Global Industrial
Disaggregation of revenue
Net sales	297.2	249.9
Europe | Global Institutional
Disaggregation of revenue
Net sales	244.6	176.1
Europe | Global Energy
Disaggregation of revenue
Net sales	101.8	86.2
Europe | Other
Disaggregation of revenue
Net sales	30.3	24.0
Asia Pacific | Global Industrial
Disaggregation of revenue
Net sales	160.9	149.5
Asia Pacific | Global Institutional
Disaggregation of revenue
Net sales	60.3	55.0
Asia Pacific | Global Energy
Disaggregation of revenue
Net sales	67.4	57.9
Asia Pacific | Other
Disaggregation of revenue
Net sales	8.9	8.0
Latin America | Global Industrial
Disaggregation of revenue
Net sales	109.3	101.7
Latin America | Global Institutional
Disaggregation of revenue
Net sales	41.2	38.5
Latin America | Global Energy
Disaggregation of revenue
Net sales	54.6	58.5
Latin America | Other
Disaggregation of revenue
Net sales	11.7	10.7
Middle East and Africa | Global Industrial
Disaggregation of revenue
Net sales	30.7	28.5
Middle East and Africa | Global Institutional
Disaggregation of revenue
Net sales	13.9	11.5
Middle East and Africa | Global Energy
Disaggregation of revenue
Net sales	115.8	109.3
Middle East and Africa | Other
Disaggregation of revenue
Net sales	2.9	2.7
Greater China | Global Industrial
Disaggregation of revenue
Net sales	71.1	63.4
Greater China | Global Institutional
Disaggregation of revenue
Net sales	29.3	25.0
Greater China | Global Energy
Disaggregation of revenue
Net sales	18.3	15.9
Greater China | Other
Disaggregation of revenue
Net sales	$ 12.0	$ 10.1