Condensed Consolidated Statement of Income - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2016	Mar. 31, 2015
Income Statement [Abstract]
Net sales	$ 279,268	$ 256,708
Other income, net	888	641
Revenues, total	280,156	257,349
Costs and expenses
Cost of products sold	158,563	139,885
Selling, general and administrative	79,195	81,368
Research and development	10,363	10,914
Restructuring and other charges (Note 4)	470	731
Interest expense	3,902	2,473
Currency exchange losses (gains), net	1,950	(2,548)
Costs and expenses, total	254,443	232,823
Income from continuing operations before income taxes	25,713	24,526
Provision for income taxes (Note 10)	12,511	15,384
Income from continuing operations	13,202	9,142
(Loss) income from discontinued operations (Note 19)	(1,129)	308
Net income	12,073	9,450
Net (income) loss attributable to noncontrolling interests	(322)	232
Net income attributable to MSA Safety Incorporated	11,751	9,682
Amounts attributable to MSA Safety Incorporated common shareholders:
Income from continuing operations	12,683	9,316
(Loss) income from discontinued operations (Note 19)	(932)	366
Net income attributable to MSA Safety Incorporated	$ 11,751	$ 9,682
Basic
Income from continuing operations, basic (dollars per share)	$ 0.34	$ 0.25
(Loss) income from discontinued operations, basic (dollars per share) (Note 19)	(0.03)	0.01
Net Income, basic (dollars per share)	0.31	0.26
Diluted
Income from continuing operations, diluted (dollars per share)	0.34	0.25
(Loss) income from discontinued operations, diluted (dollars per share) (Note 19)	(0.03)	0.01
Net Income, diluted (dollars per share)	0.31	0.26
Dividends per common share (dollars per share)	$ 0.32	$ 0.31