Guarantor Financial Information (Condensed Consolidating Statement of Cash Flows) (Details) (USD $) In Millions	9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2011	Sep. 30, 2010
Net cash provided by (used in) continuing operating activities	$ 763.0	$ 582.5
Net cash provided by (used in) discontinued operating activities	(22.2)	(65.6)
Capital expenditures	(129.1)	(117.3)
Acquisition of businesses, net of cash acquired	(1.8)	(5.5)
Proceeds from sale of property, plant and equipment	49.3	12.2
Proceeds from business dispositions, net of cash sold	336.7	0
Net cash provided by (used in) continuing investing activities	255.1	(110.6)
Net cash provided by (used in) discontinued investing activities	44.4	0.4
Net change in debt	(52.5)	(447.6)
Debt issuance costs	(2.4)	(5.5)
Net inter-company proceeds (payments)	0	0
Dividends (paid) received	(101.5)	(67.7)
Dividends paid to noncontrolling interests	(22.9)	(9.4)
Acquisition of noncontrolling interest	(1.3)	(8.0)
Proceeds from shares issued under incentive plans	107.4	47.5
Repurchase of ordinary shares	(575.6)	0
Other, net	(1.5)	0
Net cash provided by (used in) continuing financing activities	(650.3)	(490.7)
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash and cash equivalents	(0.5)	18.0
Net increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents	389.5	(66.0)
Cash and cash equivalents - beginning of period	1,014.3	876.7
Cash and cash equivalents - end of period	1,403.8	810.7
IR Ireland [Member]
Net cash provided by (used in) continuing operating activities	(6.2)	(7.2)
Net cash provided by (used in) discontinued operating activities	0	0
Capital expenditures	0	0
Acquisition of businesses, net of cash acquired	0	0
Proceeds from sale of property, plant and equipment	0	0
Proceeds from business dispositions, net of cash sold	0	0
Net cash provided by (used in) continuing investing activities	0	0
Net cash provided by (used in) discontinued investing activities	0	0
Net change in debt	0	0
Debt issuance costs	0	0
Net inter-company proceeds (payments)	576.0	26.8
Dividends (paid) received	(101.5)	(67.7)
Dividends paid to noncontrolling interests	0	0
Acquisition of noncontrolling interest	0	0
Proceeds from shares issued under incentive plans	107.4	47.5
Repurchase of ordinary shares	(575.6)
Other, net	(0.5)	0
Net cash provided by (used in) continuing financing activities	5.8	6.6
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash and cash equivalents	0	0
Net increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents	(0.4)	(0.6)
Cash and cash equivalents - beginning of period	0.4	0.6
Cash and cash equivalents - end of period	0	0
IR Limited [Member]
Net cash provided by (used in) continuing operating activities	(0.1)	0.1
Net cash provided by (used in) discontinued operating activities	0	0
Capital expenditures	0	0
Acquisition of businesses, net of cash acquired	0	0
Proceeds from sale of property, plant and equipment	0	0
Proceeds from business dispositions, net of cash sold	0	0
Net cash provided by (used in) continuing investing activities	0	0
Net cash provided by (used in) discontinued investing activities	0	0
Net change in debt	0	0
Debt issuance costs	0	0
Net inter-company proceeds (payments)	0.1	(0.1)
Dividends (paid) received	0	0
Dividends paid to noncontrolling interests	0	0
Acquisition of noncontrolling interest	0	0
Proceeds from shares issued under incentive plans	0	0
Repurchase of ordinary shares	0
Other, net	0	0
Net cash provided by (used in) continuing financing activities	0.1	(0.1)
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash and cash equivalents	0	0
Net increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents	0	0
Cash and cash equivalents - beginning of period	0	0
Cash and cash equivalents - end of period	0	0
IR International [Member]
Net cash provided by (used in) continuing operating activities	(10.4)	(11.2)
Net cash provided by (used in) discontinued operating activities	0	0
Capital expenditures	0	0
Acquisition of businesses, net of cash acquired	0	0
Proceeds from sale of property, plant and equipment	0	0
Proceeds from business dispositions, net of cash sold	0	0
Net cash provided by (used in) continuing investing activities	0	0
Net cash provided by (used in) discontinued investing activities	0	0
Net change in debt	0	0
Debt issuance costs	0	0
Net inter-company proceeds (payments)	(1.6)	11.2
Dividends (paid) received	0	0
Dividends paid to noncontrolling interests	0	0
Acquisition of noncontrolling interest	0	0
Proceeds from shares issued under incentive plans	0	0
Repurchase of ordinary shares	0
Other, net	0	0
Net cash provided by (used in) continuing financing activities	(1.6)	11.2
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash and cash equivalents	0	0
Net increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents	(12.0)	0
Cash and cash equivalents - beginning of period	12.0	0
Cash and cash equivalents - end of period	0	0
IR Global Holding [Member]
Net cash provided by (used in) continuing operating activities	(144.3)	(120.1)
Net cash provided by (used in) discontinued operating activities	0	0
Capital expenditures	0	(0.3)
Acquisition of businesses, net of cash acquired	0	0
Proceeds from sale of property, plant and equipment	0	0
Proceeds from business dispositions, net of cash sold	0	0
Net cash provided by (used in) continuing investing activities	0	(0.3)
Net cash provided by (used in) discontinued investing activities	0	0
Net change in debt	(0.2)	(249.9)
Debt issuance costs	(2.4)	(5.5)
Net inter-company proceeds (payments)	221.0	331.3
Dividends (paid) received	0	0
Dividends paid to noncontrolling interests	0	0
Acquisition of noncontrolling interest	0	0
Proceeds from shares issued under incentive plans	0	0
Repurchase of ordinary shares	0
Other, net	0	0
Net cash provided by (used in) continuing financing activities	218.4	75.9
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash and cash equivalents	0	0
Net increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents	74.1	(44.5)
Cash and cash equivalents - beginning of period	99.9	81.8
Cash and cash equivalents - end of period	174.0	37.3
IR New Jersey [Member]
Net cash provided by (used in) continuing operating activities	24.2	(260.2)
Net cash provided by (used in) discontinued operating activities	(16.6)	18.1
Capital expenditures	(26.2)	(23.3)
Acquisition of businesses, net of cash acquired	0	0
Proceeds from sale of property, plant and equipment	1.6	(0.8)
Proceeds from business dispositions, net of cash sold	0	0
Net cash provided by (used in) continuing investing activities	(24.6)	(24.1)
Net cash provided by (used in) discontinued investing activities	0	0
Net change in debt	(7.6)	(7.8)
Debt issuance costs	0	0
Net inter-company proceeds (payments)	259.9	169.0
Dividends (paid) received	0	0
Dividends paid to noncontrolling interests	0	0
Acquisition of noncontrolling interest	0	0
Proceeds from shares issued under incentive plans	0	0
Repurchase of ordinary shares	0
Other, net	0	0
Net cash provided by (used in) continuing financing activities	252.3	161.2
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash and cash equivalents	0	0
Net increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents	235.3	(105.0)
Cash and cash equivalents - beginning of period	135.5	175.5
Cash and cash equivalents - end of period	370.8	70.5
Other Subsidiaries [Member]
Net cash provided by (used in) continuing operating activities	899.8	981.1
Net cash provided by (used in) discontinued operating activities	(5.6)	(83.7)
Capital expenditures	(102.9)	(93.7)
Acquisition of businesses, net of cash acquired	(1.8)	(5.5)
Proceeds from sale of property, plant and equipment	47.7	13.0
Proceeds from business dispositions, net of cash sold	336.7	0
Net cash provided by (used in) continuing investing activities	279.7	(86.2)
Net cash provided by (used in) discontinued investing activities	44.4	0.4
Net change in debt	(44.7)	(189.9)
Debt issuance costs	0	0
Net inter-company proceeds (payments)	(1,055.4)	(538.2)
Dividends (paid) received	0	0
Dividends paid to noncontrolling interests	(22.9)	(9.4)
Acquisition of noncontrolling interest	(1.3)	(8.0)
Proceeds from shares issued under incentive plans	0	0
Repurchase of ordinary shares	0
Other, net	(1.0)	0
Net cash provided by (used in) continuing financing activities	(1,125.3)	(745.5)
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash and cash equivalents	(0.5)	18.0
Net increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents	92.5	84.1
Cash and cash equivalents - beginning of period	766.5	618.8
Cash and cash equivalents - end of period	$ 859.0	$ 702.9