Condensed Consolidated Statement of Income - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2017	Jun. 30, 2016	Jun. 30, 2017	Jun. 30, 2016
Income Statement [Abstract]
Net sales	$ 288,775	$ 295,998	$ 554,540	$ 575,266
Cost of products sold	155,170	160,143	301,213	318,706
Gross profit	133,605	135,855	253,327	256,560
Selling, general and administrative	73,943	75,716	149,926	154,911
Research and development	11,933	11,144	22,931	21,507
Restructuring charges (Note 4)	967	1,338	13,706	1,808
Currency exchange losses (gains), net	2,851	(242)	3,431	1,708
Other operating expense (Note 18)	29,610	0	29,610	0
Operating income	14,301	47,899	33,723	76,626
Interest expense	3,014	4,201	6,605	8,103
Other income, net	(425)	(775)	(1,080)	(1,663)
Total other expense, net	2,589	3,426	5,525	6,440
Income from continuing operations before income taxes	11,712	44,473	28,198	70,186
(Benefit) provision for income taxes (Note 10)	(902)	15,026	894	27,537
Income from continuing operations	12,614	29,447	27,304	42,649
Income from discontinued operations (Note 19)	0	2,484	0	1,355
Net income	12,614	31,931	27,304	44,004
Net income attributable to noncontrolling interests	(82)	(848)	(359)	(1,170)
Net income attributable to MSA Safety Incorporated	12,532	31,083	26,945	42,834
Amounts attributable to MSA Safety Incorporated common shareholders:
Income from continuing operations	12,532	29,306	26,945	41,989
Income from discontinued operations (Note 19)	0	1,777	0	845
Net income attributable to MSA Safety Incorporated	$ 12,532	$ 31,083	$ 26,945	$ 42,834
Basic
Income from continuing operations, basic (dollars per share)	$ 0.33	$ 0.78	$ 0.71	$ 1.12
Income from discontinued operations, basic (dollars per share) (Note 19)	0.00	0.05	0.00	0.02
Net income, basic (dollars per share)	0.33	0.83	0.71	1.14
Diluted
Income from continuing operations, diluted (dollars per share)	0.32	0.77	0.70	1.11
Income from discontinued operations, diluted (dollars per share) (Note 19)	0.00	0.05	0.00	0.02
Net income, diluted (dollars per share)	0.32	0.82	0.70	1.13
Dividends per common share (dollars per share)	$ 0.35	$ 0.33	$ 0.68	$ 0.65