Consolidated Statements of Income - USD ($) $ in Thousands	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2023	Dec. 31, 2022	Dec. 31, 2021
Income Statement [Abstract]
Net sales	$ 1,787,647	$ 1,527,953	$ 1,400,182
Cost of products sold	935,509	854,122	784,834
Gross profit	852,138	673,831	615,348
Selling, general and administrative	396,645	338,872	332,862
Research and development	67,988	57,012	57,793
Restructuring charges (Note 3)	9,892	7,965	16,433
Currency exchange losses, net	17,079	10,255	216
Loss on divestiture of MSA LLC (Note 20)	129,211	0	0
Product liability expense (Note 20)	3	20,590	185,264
Operating income	231,320	239,137	22,780
Interest expense	46,733	21,660	10,758
Other income, net (Note 16)	(22,101)	(21,056)	(11,582)
Total other expense (income), net	24,632	604	(824)
Income before income taxes	206,688	238,533	23,604
Provision for income taxes (Note 10)	148,105	58,903	1,816
Net income	58,583	179,630	21,788
Net income attributable to noncontrolling interests	0	0	(448)
Net income attributable to MSA Safety Incorporated	$ 58,583	$ 179,630	$ 21,340
Earnings per share attributable to MSA Safety Incorporated common shareholders (Note 9):
Basic (in dollars per share)	$ 1.49	$ 4.58	$ 0.54
Diluted (in dollars per share)	1.48	4.56	0.54
Dividends per common share (in dollars per share)	$ 1.87	$ 1.82	$ 1.75