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Contingencies - Summary of Cumulative Trauma Product Liability Claims Activity (Detail) | 3 Months Ended | 12 Months Ended
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Mar. 31, 2015 LegalMatter | Dec. 31, 2014 LegalMatter
Loss Contingency, Quantities [Roll Forward] |  |
Open lawsuits, beginning of period | 2,326us-gaap_LossContingencyPendingClaimsNumber | 2,840us-gaap_LossContingencyPendingClaimsNumber
New lawsuits | 87us-gaap_LossContingencyNewClaimsFiledNumber | 542us-gaap_LossContingencyNewClaimsFiledNumber
Settled and dismissed lawsuits | (176)us-gaap_LossContingencyClaimsSettledAndDismissedNumber | (1,056)us-gaap_LossContingencyClaimsSettledAndDismissedNumber
Open lawsuits, end of period | 2,237us-gaap_LossContingencyPendingClaimsNumber | 2,326us-gaap_LossContingencyPendingClaimsNumber

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- Details
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Namespace Prefix: | msa_
Data Type: | xbrli:stringItemType
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Period Type: | duration

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- Definition The number of claims settled and dismissed during the period. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 450 -SubTopic 20 -Section 50 -Paragraph 4 -Subparagraph (a) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=25496072&loc=d3e14435-108349 + Details
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- Definition The total number of new claims filed pertaining to a loss contingency during the period. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 450 -SubTopic 20 -Section 50 -Paragraph 4 -Subparagraph (a) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=25496072&loc=d3e14435-108349 + Details
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- Definition Number of pending claims pertaining to a loss contingency. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 450 -SubTopic 20 -Section 50 -Paragraph 4 -Subparagraph (a) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=25496072&loc=d3e14435-108349 + Details
Name: | us-gaap_LossContingencyPendingClaimsNumber
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
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Balance Type: | na
Period Type: | instant