XML 78 R63.htm IDEA: XBRL DOCUMENT
v3.3.1.900

Segment Information - Revenue from External Customers by Products and Services (Details) - Sales | 12 Months Ended
--- | ---
Dec. 31, 2015 | Dec. 31, 2014 | Dec. 31, 2013
Breathing Apparatus |  |  |
Revenue from External Customer [Line Items] |  |  |
Concentration risk (percentage) | 27.00% | 19.00% | 21.00%
Fixed Gas and Flame Detection |  |  |
Revenue from External Customer [Line Items] |  |  |
Concentration risk (percentage) | 21.00% | 23.00% | 22.00%
Portable Gas Detection |  |  |
Revenue from External Customer [Line Items] |  |  |
Concentration risk (percentage) | 13.00% | 15.00% | 14.00%
Head Protection |  |  |
Revenue from External Customer [Line Items] |  |  |
Concentration risk (percentage) | 11.00% | 13.00% | 13.00%
Fire & Rescue Helmets |  |  |
Revenue from External Customer [Line Items] |  |  |
Concentration risk (percentage) | 5.00% | 5.00% | 5.00%
Fall Protection |  |  |
Revenue from External Customer [Line Items] |  |  |
Concentration risk (percentage) | 5.00% | 4.00% | 4.00%
Other |  |  |
Revenue from External Customer [Line Items] |  |  |
Concentration risk (percentage) | 18.00% | 21.00% | 21.00%

X
- Definition For an entity that discloses a concentration risk in relation to quantitative amount, which serves as the "benchmark" (or denominator) in the equation, this concept represents the concentration percentage derived from the division. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 275 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 18 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=51801978&loc=d3e6351-108592 Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 825 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 20 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=49121117&loc=d3e13531-108611 Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 275 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 20 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=51801978&loc=d3e6404-108592 Reference 4: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 825 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 21 -Subparagraph (a) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=49121117&loc=d3e13537-108611 + Details
Name: | us-gaap_ConcentrationRiskPercentage1
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | num:percentItemType
Balance Type: | na
Period Type: | duration

X
- Definition Line items represent financial concepts included in a table. These concepts are used to disclose reportable information associated with domain members defined in one or many axes to the table. + References No definition available. + Details
Name: | us-gaap_EntityWideInformationRevenueFromExternalCustomerLineItems
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type: | na
Period Type: | duration

X
- Details
Name: | us-gaap_ProductOrServiceAxis=msa_BreathingApparatusMember
Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |

X
- Details
Name: | us-gaap_ConcentrationRiskByBenchmarkAxis=us-gaap_SalesMember
Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |

X
- Details
Name: | us-gaap_ProductOrServiceAxis=msa_FixGasFlameDetectionInstrumentsMember
Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |

X
- Details
Name: | us-gaap_ProductOrServiceAxis=msa_PortableInstrumentsMember
Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |

X
- Details
Name: | us-gaap_ProductOrServiceAxis=msa_HeadProtectionMember
Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |

X
- Details
Name: | us-gaap_ProductOrServiceAxis=msa_FireandRescueHelmetsMember
Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |

X
- Details
Name: | us-gaap_ProductOrServiceAxis=msa_FallProtectionMember
Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |

X
- Details
Name: | us-gaap_ProductOrServiceAxis=msa_OtherProductsMember
Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |