Condensed Consolidated Statement of Income - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2016	Jun. 30, 2015	Jun. 30, 2016	Jun. 30, 2015
Income Statement [Abstract]
Net sales	$ 295,998	$ 287,011	$ 575,266	$ 543,719
Cost of products sold	160,143	156,522	318,706	296,407
Gross profit	135,855	130,489	256,560	247,312
Selling, general and administrative	75,716	77,588	154,911	158,956
Research and development	11,144	12,984	21,507	23,898
Restructuring and other charges (Note 4)	1,338	227	1,808	958
Currency exchange (gains) losses, net	(242)	1,557	1,708	(991)
Operating income	47,899	38,133	76,626	64,491
Interest expense	4,201	2,502	8,103	4,975
Other (income), net	(775)	(94)	(1,663)	(735)
Total other expense, net	3,426	2,408	6,440	4,240
Income from continuing operations before income taxes	44,473	35,725	70,186	60,251
Provision for income taxes (Note 10)	15,026	12,350	27,537	27,734
Income from continuing operations	29,447	23,375	42,649	32,517
Income from discontinued operations (Note 19)	2,484	470	1,355	778
Net income	31,931	23,845	44,004	33,295
Net (income) loss attributable to noncontrolling interests	(848)	453	(1,170)	685
Net income attributable to MSA Safety Incorporated	31,083	24,298	42,834	33,980
Amounts attributable to MSA Safety Incorporated common shareholders:
Income from continuing operations	29,306	23,722	41,989	33,038
Income from discontinued operations (Note 19)	1,777	576	845	942
Net income attributable to MSA Safety Incorporated	$ 31,083	$ 24,298	$ 42,834	$ 33,980
Basic
Income from continuing operations, basic (dollars per share)	$ 0.78	$ 0.63	$ 1.12	$ 0.88
Income from discontinued operations, basic (dollars per share) (Note 19)	0.05	0.02	0.02	0.03
Net income, basic (dollars per share)	0.83	0.65	1.14	0.91
Diluted
Income from continuing operations, diluted (dollars per share)	0.77	0.62	1.11	0.87
Income from discontinued operations, diluted (dollars per share) (Note 19)	0.05	0.01	0.02	0.03
Net income, diluted (dollars per share)	0.82	0.63	1.13	0.90
Dividends per common share (dollars per share)	$ 0.33	$ 0.32	$ 0.65	$ 0.63