Condensed Consolidated Statement of Income - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2016	Sep. 30, 2015	Sep. 30, 2016	Sep. 30, 2015
Income Statement [Abstract]
Net sales	$ 278,233	$ 273,746	$ 853,499	$ 817,465
Cost of products sold	149,471	153,965	468,177	450,372
Gross profit	128,762	119,781	385,322	367,093
Selling, general and administrative	72,945	72,727	227,856	231,683
Research and development	13,116	12,532	34,623	36,430
Restructuring and other charges (Note 4)	1,889	3,740	3,697	4,698
Currency exchange losses, net	790	4,327	2,498	3,336
Operating income	40,022	26,455	116,648	90,946
Interest expense	4,412	2,827	12,515	7,802
Other (income), net	(2,041)	(431)	(3,704)	(1,166)
Total other expense, net	2,371	2,396	8,811	6,636
Income from continuing operations before income taxes	37,651	24,059	107,837	84,310
Provision for income taxes (Note 10)	11,329	8,935	38,866	36,669
Income from continuing operations	26,322	15,124	68,971	47,641
(Loss) income from discontinued operations (Note 19)	(1,300)	462	55	1,240
Net income	25,022	15,586	69,026	48,881
Net (income) loss attributable to noncontrolling interests	(836)	390	(2,006)	1,075
Net income attributable to MSA Safety Incorporated	24,186	15,976	67,020	49,956
Amounts attributable to MSA Safety Incorporated common shareholders:
Income from continuing operations	25,486	15,712	67,475	48,750
(Loss) income from discontinued operations (Note 19)	(1,300)	264	(455)	1,206
Net income attributable to MSA Safety Incorporated	$ 24,186	$ 15,976	$ 67,020	$ 49,956
Basic
Income from continuing operations, basic (dollars per share)	$ 0.68	$ 0.42	$ 1.80	$ 1.30
(Loss) income from discontinued operations, basic (dollars per share) (Note 19)	(0.04)	0.01	(0.01)	0.03
Net income, basic (dollars per share)	0.64	0.43	1.79	1.33
Diluted
Income from continuing operations, diluted (dollars per share)	0.67	0.41	1.77	1.29
(Loss) income from discontinued operations, diluted (dollars per share) (Note 19)	(0.04)	0.01	(0.01)	0.03
Net income, diluted (dollars per share)	0.63	0.42	1.76	1.32
Dividends per common share (dollars per share)	$ 0.33	$ 0.32	$ 0.98	$ 0.95