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Insurance - Additional Information (Detail) (USD $)
In Millions, unless otherwise specified
12 Months Ended
Oct. 31, 2014
Oct. 31, 2013
Oct. 31, 2012
Schedule of Other Liabilities [Line Items]      
Self insurance retention amount per-claim $ 1.0abm_SelfInsuredRetentionAmountPerClaim    
Commercial insurance policies coverage 200.0abm_InsurancePolicyCoverageGeneralLiabilityLosses    
Insurance Policy Coverage, Property Damage 75.0abm_InsurancePolicyCoveragePropertyDamage    
Self-insurance reserve adjustments (8.7)us-gaap_IncreaseDecreaseInSelfInsuranceReserve 3.9us-gaap_IncreaseDecreaseInSelfInsuranceReserve 1.7us-gaap_IncreaseDecreaseInSelfInsuranceReserve
Insurance claim reserves 349.7us-gaap_SelfInsuranceReserve 358.0us-gaap_SelfInsuranceReserve  
Estimated Insurance Recoveries 66.4us-gaap_EstimatedInsuranceRecoveries 68.7us-gaap_EstimatedInsuranceRecoveries  
Corporate segment      
Schedule of Other Liabilities [Line Items]      
Self-insurance reserve adjustments 11.5us-gaap_IncreaseDecreaseInSelfInsuranceReserve
/ us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis
= us-gaap_CorporateMember
10.6us-gaap_IncreaseDecreaseInSelfInsuranceReserve
/ us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis
= us-gaap_CorporateMember
7.3us-gaap_IncreaseDecreaseInSelfInsuranceReserve
/ us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis
= us-gaap_CorporateMember
Minimum      
Schedule of Other Liabilities [Line Items]      
Insurance deductibles per occurrence 1.0abm_InsuranceDeductibles
/ us-gaap_RangeAxis
= us-gaap_MinimumMember
   
Maximum      
Schedule of Other Liabilities [Line Items]      
Insurance deductibles per occurrence 5.0abm_InsuranceDeductibles
/ us-gaap_RangeAxis
= us-gaap_MaximumMember
   
Medical and Dental Self Insurance Program      
Schedule of Other Liabilities [Line Items]      
Insurance claim reserves 4.8us-gaap_SelfInsuranceReserve
/ abm_InsurancePoliciesAxis
= abm_MedicalAndDentalSelfInsuranceProgramMember
7.0us-gaap_SelfInsuranceReserve
/ abm_InsurancePoliciesAxis
= abm_MedicalAndDentalSelfInsuranceProgramMember
 
Medical and Dental Self Insurance Program | Maximum      
Schedule of Other Liabilities [Line Items]      
Self insurance retention amount per-claim $ 0.4abm_SelfInsuredRetentionAmountPerClaimForCertainEmployeeMedicalAndDentalPrograms
/ abm_InsurancePoliciesAxis
= abm_MedicalAndDentalSelfInsuranceProgramMember
/ us-gaap_RangeAxis
= us-gaap_MaximumMember