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Restructuring and Other Charges - Additional Information (Detail) (USD $)
3 Months Ended 12 Months Ended 9 Months Ended 12 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2015
Mar. 31, 2014
Dec. 31, 2014
Sep. 30, 2014
Dec. 31, 2013
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]          
Restructuring charges $ 731,000us-gaap_RestructuringCharges $ 1,900,000us-gaap_RestructuringCharges $ 8,500,000us-gaap_RestructuringCharges    
Restructuring and other charges, net of tax 500,000msa_RestructuringAndOtherChargesNetOfTax 1,200,000msa_RestructuringAndOtherChargesNetOfTax      
International Segment          
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]          
Restructuring charges 588,000us-gaap_RestructuringCharges
/ us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis
= msa_InternationalSegmentMember
400,000us-gaap_RestructuringCharges
/ us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis
= msa_InternationalSegmentMember
  600,000us-gaap_RestructuringCharges
/ us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis
= msa_InternationalSegmentMember
3,700,000us-gaap_RestructuringCharges
/ us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis
= msa_InternationalSegmentMember
European Segment          
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]          
Restructuring charges   $ 1,500,000us-gaap_RestructuringCharges
/ us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis
= msa_EuropeanSegmentMember
  $ 100,000us-gaap_RestructuringCharges
/ us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis
= msa_EuropeanSegmentMember
$ 4,800,000us-gaap_RestructuringCharges
/ us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis
= msa_EuropeanSegmentMember