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Income Taxes - Additional Information (Detail) (USD $)
12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2014
Dec. 31, 2013
Dec. 31, 2012
Income Tax Disclosure [Abstract]      
Discontinued operation, tax effect of discontinue operation $ 600,000us-gaap_DiscontinuedOperationTaxEffectOfDiscontinuedOperation $ 1,400,000us-gaap_DiscontinuedOperationTaxEffectOfDiscontinuedOperation $ 1,100,000us-gaap_DiscontinuedOperationTaxEffectOfDiscontinuedOperation
Deferred income tax expense (benefit), discontinued operation (300,000)msa_DeferredIncomeTaxExpenseBenefitDiscontinuedOperation 200,000msa_DeferredIncomeTaxExpenseBenefitDiscontinuedOperation (400,000)msa_DeferredIncomeTaxExpenseBenefitDiscontinuedOperation
Net operating loss carryforwards 28,400,000us-gaap_OperatingLossCarryforwards    
Net operating loss carryforward expiring in year two 1,600,000msa_NetOperatingLossCarryforwardsExpiringInYearTwo    
Net operating loss carryforwards expiration year 2016    
Deferred income taxes on undistributed earnings 0msa_DeferredIncomeTaxesOnUndistributedEarnings    
Undistributed earnings of non-U.S. subsidiaries 334,700,000us-gaap_UndistributedEarningsOfForeignSubsidiaries    
Recognized tax benefits 5,200,000msa_RecognizedTaxBenefits 5,100,000msa_RecognizedTaxBenefits  
Liability for interest expense and penalties accrued 800,000us-gaap_UnrecognizedTaxBenefitsIncomeTaxPenaltiesAndInterestAccrued 500,000us-gaap_UnrecognizedTaxBenefitsIncomeTaxPenaltiesAndInterestAccrued  
Reduction to interest related to uncertain tax positions $ 300,000msa_UnrecognizedTaxBenefitsAdditionalInterestAndIncomeTaxPenalties