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Pensions and Other Postretirement Benefits - Schedule of Expected Return on Assets for Net Periodic Pension Cost (Detail)	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Total	100.00%us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanWeightedAverageAssetAllocations	100.00%us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanWeightedAverageAssetAllocations
Equity Securities
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Total	65.00%us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanWeightedAverageAssetAllocations / us-gaap_InvestmentTypeAxis = us-gaap_EquitySecuritiesMember	71.00%us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanWeightedAverageAssetAllocations / us-gaap_InvestmentTypeAxis = us-gaap_EquitySecuritiesMember
Fixed Income Securities
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Total	26.00%us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanWeightedAverageAssetAllocations / us-gaap_InvestmentTypeAxis = us-gaap_FixedIncomeSecuritiesMember	19.00%us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanWeightedAverageAssetAllocations / us-gaap_InvestmentTypeAxis = us-gaap_FixedIncomeSecuritiesMember
Pooled Investment Funds
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Total	5.00%us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanWeightedAverageAssetAllocations / us-gaap_InvestmentTypeAxis = msa_PooledInvestmentFundsMember	5.00%us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanWeightedAverageAssetAllocations / us-gaap_InvestmentTypeAxis = msa_PooledInvestmentFundsMember
Insurance Contracts
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Total	3.00%us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanWeightedAverageAssetAllocations / us-gaap_InvestmentTypeAxis = msa_InsuranceContractsMember	3.00%us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanWeightedAverageAssetAllocations / us-gaap_InvestmentTypeAxis = msa_InsuranceContractsMember
Cash and Cash Equivalents
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Total	1.00%us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanWeightedAverageAssetAllocations / us-gaap_InvestmentTypeAxis = us-gaap_CashAndCashEquivalentsMember	2.00%us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanWeightedAverageAssetAllocations / us-gaap_InvestmentTypeAxis = us-gaap_CashAndCashEquivalentsMember

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- Definition

Percentage of fair value of investments (categorized by debt securities, equity securities, real estate and other plan assets) to the fair value of plan assets held.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 715

-SubTopic 20

-Section 50

-Paragraph 5

-Subparagraph (c)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=35743120&loc=d3e2446-114920



Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 715

-SubTopic 20

-Section 50

-Paragraph 1

-Subparagraph (d)(1)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=35743120&loc=d3e1928-114920

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