Consolidated Statements of Income - USD ($) $ in Thousands	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2022	Dec. 31, 2021	Dec. 31, 2020
Income Statement [Abstract]
Net sales	$ 1,527,953	$ 1,400,182	$ 1,348,223
Cost of products sold	854,122	784,834	752,731
Gross profit	673,831	615,348	595,492
Selling, general and administrative	338,872	332,862	290,334
Research and development	57,012	57,793	58,268
Restructuring charges (Note 3)	7,965	16,433	27,381
Currency exchange losses, net	10,255	216	8,578
Product liability expense (Note 20)	20,590	185,264	39,036
Operating income	239,137	22,780	171,895
Interest expense	21,660	10,758	9,432
Other income, net (Note 16)	(21,056)	(11,582)	(5,684)
Total other expense (income), net	604	(824)	3,748
Income before income taxes	238,533	23,604	168,147
Provision for income taxes (Note 10)	58,903	1,816	43,009
Net income	179,630	21,788	125,138
Net income attributable to noncontrolling interests	0	(448)	(1,061)
Net income attributable to MSA Safety Incorporated	$ 179,630	$ 21,340	$ 124,077
Earnings per share attributable to MSA Safety Incorporated common shareholders (Note 9):
Basic (in dollars per share)	$ 4.58	$ 0.54	$ 3.19
Diluted (in dollars per share)	4.56	0.54	3.15
Dividends per common share (in dollars per share)	$ 1.82	$ 1.75	$ 1.71