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Income Taxes - Reconciliation of Change in Tax Liability for Unrecognized Tax Benefits (Detail) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified | 12 Months Ended
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Dec. 31, 2014 | Dec. 31, 2013
Reconciliation of Unrecognized Tax Benefits, Excluding Amounts Pertaining to Examined Tax Returns [Roll Forward] |  |
Beginning balance | $ 5,888 us-gaap_UnrecognizedTaxBenefits | $ 9,520 us-gaap_UnrecognizedTaxBenefits
Adjustments for tax positions related to the current year | 4,072 msa_UnrecognizedTaxBenefitsIncreaseDecreaseResultingfromCurrentPeriodTaxPositions | (3,628)msa_UnrecognizedTaxBenefitsIncreaseDecreaseResultingfromCurrentPeriodTaxPositions
Adjustments for tax positions related to prior years | 3 us-gaap_UnrecognizedTaxBenefitsIncreasesResultingFromPriorPeriodTaxPositions | 97 us-gaap_UnrecognizedTaxBenefitsIncreasesResultingFromPriorPeriodTaxPositions
Statute expiration | (106)us-gaap_UnrecognizedTaxBenefitsReductionsResultingFromLapseOfApplicableStatuteOfLimitations | (101)us-gaap_UnrecognizedTaxBenefitsReductionsResultingFromLapseOfApplicableStatuteOfLimitations
Ending balance | $ 9,857 us-gaap_UnrecognizedTaxBenefits | $ 5,888 us-gaap_UnrecognizedTaxBenefits

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- Definition Unrecognized Tax Benefits, Increase (Decrease) Resulting from Current Period Tax Positions + References No definition available. + Details
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- Details
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- Definition Amount of unrecognized tax benefits pertaining to uncertain tax positions taken in tax returns. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Glossary Unrecognized Tax Benefit -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6527854 Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 740 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 15A -Subparagraph (a) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6907707&loc=SL6600010-109319 + Details
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- Definition Amount of increase in unrecognized tax benefits resulting from tax positions taken in prior period tax returns. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 740 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 15A -Subparagraph (a)(1) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6907707&loc=SL6600010-109319 + Details
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- Definition Amount of decrease in unrecognized tax benefits resulting from lapses of applicable statutes of limitations. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 740 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 15A -Subparagraph (a)(4) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6907707&loc=SL6600010-109319 + Details
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