XML 64 R50.htm IDEA: XBRL DOCUMENT
v3.20.4

Significant Accounting Policies - Additional Information (Detail) - USD ($) | 12 Months Ended |  |
--- | --- | --- | ---
Dec. 31, 2020 | Dec. 31, 2019 | Dec. 31, 2018 | Jan. 01, 2019 | Dec. 31, 2017
Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |
Money Market Funds, at Carrying Value | $ 600,000 | $ 17,900,000 |  |  |
Restricted cash balances | $ 362,000 | 348,000 | $ 509,000 |  |
Period for inventory write-down | 24 months |  |  |  |
Unamortized software development costs | $ 8,200,000 | 5,000,000.0 | 1,600,000 |  |
Depreciation | 27,700,000 | 26,500,000 | 26,900,000 |  |
Goodwill, impairment loss | 0 | 0 | 0 |  |
Operating lease liability | 54,227,000 |  |  |  |
Operating lease, right-of-use asset | 53,451,000 | 51,675,000 |  |  |
Income tax benefit | 1,668,000 | 3,357,000 | 2,974,000 |  |
Change in retained earnings | $ 809,891,000 | 732,573,000 |  |  |
Buildings | Minimum |  |  |  |  |
Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |
Useful lives | 20 years |  |  |  |
Buildings | Maximum |  |  |  |  |
Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |
Useful lives | 40 years |  |  |  |
Machinery and equipment | Minimum |  |  |  |  |
Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |
Useful lives | 3 years |  |  |  |
Machinery and equipment | Maximum |  |  |  |  |
Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |
Useful lives | 10 years |  |  |  |
Software development |  |  |  |  |
Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |
Useful lives | 3 years |  |  |  |
Accounting Standards Update 2016-02 |  |  |  |  |
Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |
Operating lease, right-of-use asset |  |  |  | $ 54,000,000 |
Retained Earnings |  |  |  |  |
Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |
Change in retained earnings | $ 1,065,789,000 | $ 1,012,266,000 | 935,577,000 |  | $ 868,675,000
Retained Earnings | Cumulative effect, period of adoption, adjustment |  |  |  |  |
Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |
Change in retained earnings |  |  | $ 3,772,000 |  |

X
- Definition Inventory, Threshold Period for Write-Down + References No definition available. + Details
Name: | msa_InventoryThresholdPeriodforWriteDown
Namespace Prefix: | msa_
Data Type: | xbrli:durationItemType
Balance Type: | na
Period Type: | duration

X
- Definition Restricted Cash, Current Assets, Included in Prepaid Expenses and Other Current Assets + References No definition available. + Details
Name: | msa_RestrictedCashCurrentAssetsIncludedinPrepaidExpensesandOtherCurrentAssets
Namespace Prefix: | msa_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | debit
Period Type: | instant

X
- Definition Amount before accumulated amortization of capitalized costs for computer software, including but not limited to, acquired and internally developed computer software. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2009/role/commonPracticeRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 985 -SubTopic 20 -Section 50 -Paragraph 1 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6501960&loc=d3e128462-111756 + Details
Name: | us-gaap_CapitalizedComputerSoftwareGross
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | debit
Period Type: | instant

X
- Definition The amount of expense recognized in the current period that reflects the allocation of the cost of tangible assets over the assets' useful lives. Includes production and non-production related depreciation. + References Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 360 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 1 -Subparagraph (a) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6391035&loc=d3e2868-110229 Reference 2: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 230 -SubTopic 10 -Section 45 -Paragraph 28 -Subparagraph (b) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=118932676&loc=d3e3602-108585 + Details
Name: | us-gaap_Depreciation
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | debit
Period Type: | duration

X
- Definition Amount of tax benefit for recognition of expense of award under share-based payment arrangement. + References Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 718 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 2 -Subparagraph (h)(1)(i) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=116856206&loc=d3e5070-113901 + Details
Name: | us-gaap_EmployeeServiceShareBasedCompensationTaxBenefitFromCompensationExpense
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | credit
Period Type: | duration

X
- Definition Amount of loss from the write-down of an asset representing the future economic benefits arising from other assets acquired in a business combination that are not individually identified and separately recognized. + References Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 350 -SubTopic 20 -Section 50 -Paragraph 2 -Subparagraph (b) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=108376223&loc=d3e13854-109267 Reference 2: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 230 -SubTopic 10 -Section 45 -Paragraph 28 -Subparagraph (b) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=118932676&loc=d3e3602-108585 Reference 3: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 350 -SubTopic 20 -Section 50 -Paragraph 1 -Subparagraph (e) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=108376223&loc=d3e13816-109267 Reference 4: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 350 -SubTopic 20 -Section 45 -Paragraph 2 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=99380562&loc=d3e13777-109266 + Details
Name: | us-gaap_GoodwillImpairmentLoss
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | debit
Period Type: | duration

X
- Definition Investment in short-term money-market instruments (such as commercial paper, banker's acceptances, repurchase agreements, government securities, certificates of deposit, and so forth) which are highly liquid (that is, readily convertible to known amounts of cash) and so near their maturity that they present an insignificant risk of changes in value because of changes in interest rates. Generally, only investments with original maturities of three months or less qualify as cash equivalents by definition. Original maturity means an original maturity to the entity holding the investment. For example, both a three-month US Treasury bill and a three-year Treasury note purchased three months from maturity qualify as cash equivalents. However, a Treasury note purchased three-years ago does not become a cash equivalent when its remaining maturity is three months. + References No definition available. + Details
Name: | us-gaap_MoneyMarketFundsAtCarryingValue
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | debit
Period Type: | instant

X
- Definition Present value of lessee's discounted obligation for lease payments from operating lease. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 842 -SubTopic 20 -Section 45 -Paragraph 1 -Subparagraph (b) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=77888419&loc=SL77918627-209977 + Details
Name: | us-gaap_OperatingLeaseLiability
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | credit
Period Type: | instant

X
- Definition Amount of lessee's right to use underlying asset under operating lease. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 842 -SubTopic 20 -Section 45 -Paragraph 1 -Subparagraph (a) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=77888419&loc=SL77918627-209977 + Details
Name: | us-gaap_OperatingLeaseRightOfUseAsset
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | debit
Period Type: | instant

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_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentLineItems
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type: | na
Period Type: | duration

X
- Definition Useful life of long lived, physical assets used in the normal conduct of business and not intended for resale, in 'PnYnMnDTnHnMnS' format, for example, 'P1Y5M13D' represents the reported fact of one year, five months, and thirteen days. Examples include, but not limited to, land, buildings, machinery and equipment, office equipment, furniture and fixtures, and computer equipment. + References No definition available. + Details
Name: | us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentUsefulLife
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | xbrli:durationItemType
Balance Type: | na
Period Type: | duration

X
- Definition Amount of stockholders' equity (deficit), net of receivables from officers, directors, owners, and affiliates of the entity, attributable to both the parent and noncontrolling interests. Amount excludes temporary equity. Alternate caption for the concept is permanent equity. + References Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 810 -SubTopic 10 -Section 45 -Paragraph 16 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=108774443&loc=SL4568740-111683 Reference 2: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 810 -SubTopic 10 -Section 55 -Paragraph 4I -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=116874947&loc=SL4590271-111686 Reference 3: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 810 -SubTopic 10 -Section 45 -Paragraph 15 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=108774443&loc=SL4568447-111683 + Details
Name: | us-gaap_StockholdersEquityIncludingPortionAttributableToNoncontrollingInterest
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | credit
Period Type: | instant

X
- Details
Name: | us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentByTypeAxis=us-gaap_BuildingMember
Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |

X
- Details
Name: | srt_RangeAxis=srt_MinimumMember
Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |

X
- Details
Name: | srt_RangeAxis=srt_MaximumMember
Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |

X
- Details
Name: | us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentByTypeAxis=us-gaap_MachineryAndEquipmentMember
Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |

X
- Details
Name: | us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentByTypeAxis=us-gaap_SoftwareDevelopmentMember
Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |

X
- Details
Name: | us-gaap_AdjustmentsForNewAccountingPronouncementsAxis=us-gaap_AccountingStandardsUpdate201602Member
Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |

X
- Details
Name: | us-gaap_StatementEquityComponentsAxis=us-gaap_RetainedEarningsMember
Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |

X
- Details
Name: | msa_CumulativeEffectPeriodOfAdoptionAxis=msa_CumulativeEffectPeriodofAdoptionAdjustmentMember
Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |