Guarantor Financial Information (Condensed Consolidating Income Statement) (Details) (USD $) In Millions, unless otherwise specified	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2011	Dec. 31, 2010	Dec. 31, 2009
Net revenues	$ 14,782.0	$ 14,001.1	$ 13,009.1
Cost of goods sold	(10,493.6)	(10,059.9)	(9,437.1)
Selling and administrative expenses	(2,781.2)	(2,679.8)	(2,686.8)
Loss on sale/asset impairment	(646.9)	0	0
Operating income (loss)	860.3	1,261.4	885.2
Equity earnings in affiliates (net of tax)	0	0	0
Interest expense	(280.0)	(283.2)	(301.6)
Intercompany interest and fees	0	0	0
Other, net	33.0	32.5	10.7
Earnings (loss) before income taxes	613.3	1,010.7	594.3
Benefit (provision) for income taxes	(187.2)	(228.1)	(81.5)
Earnings (loss) from continuing operations	426.1	782.6	512.8
Discontinued operations, net of tax	(56.8)	(117.5)	(36.6)
Net earnings (loss)	369.3	665.1	476.2
Less: Net earnings attributable to noncontrolling interests	(26.1)	(22.9)	(24.9)
Net earnings (loss) attributable to Ingersoll-Rand plc	343.2	642.2	451.3
IR Ireland [Member]
Net revenues	0	0	0
Cost of goods sold	0	0	0
Selling and administrative expenses	(9.2)	(8.4)	(6.3)
Loss on sale/asset impairment	0
Operating income (loss)	(9.2)	(8.4)	(6.3)
Equity earnings in affiliates (net of tax)	358.8	659.8	361.8
Interest expense	0	0	0
Intercompany interest and fees	(2.5)	0	0
Other, net	(3.9)	(8.6)	0
Earnings (loss) before income taxes	343.2	642.8	355.5
Benefit (provision) for income taxes	0	(0.6)	0.6
Earnings (loss) from continuing operations	343.2	642.2	356.1
Discontinued operations, net of tax	0	0	0
Net earnings (loss)	343.2	642.2	356.1
Less: Net earnings attributable to noncontrolling interests	0	0	0
Net earnings (loss) attributable to Ingersoll-Rand plc	343.2	642.2	356.1
IR Limited [Member]
Net revenues	0	0	0
Cost of goods sold	0	0	(0.7)
Selling and administrative expenses	(0.1)	(0.1)	(35.5)
Loss on sale/asset impairment	0
Operating income (loss)	(0.1)	(0.1)	(36.2)
Equity earnings in affiliates (net of tax)	614.8	470.4	223.4
Interest expense	0	0	(7.8)
Intercompany interest and fees	0	(0.1)	(18.7)
Other, net	(5.2)	(0.3)	(4.3)
Earnings (loss) before income taxes	609.5	469.9	156.4
Benefit (provision) for income taxes	0	0	0
Earnings (loss) from continuing operations	609.5	469.9	156.4
Discontinued operations, net of tax	0	0	0
Net earnings (loss)	609.5	469.9	156.4
Less: Net earnings attributable to noncontrolling interests	0	0	0
Net earnings (loss) attributable to Ingersoll-Rand plc	609.5	469.9	156.4
IR International [Member]
Net revenues	0	0	0
Cost of goods sold	0	0	0
Selling and administrative expenses	0	0	0
Loss on sale/asset impairment	0
Operating income (loss)	0	0	0
Equity earnings in affiliates (net of tax)	816.5	615.2	203.7
Interest expense	(15.7)	(15.6)	(7.8)
Intercompany interest and fees	(129.4)	(135.0)	(126.5)
Other, net	1.7	0.6	1.0
Earnings (loss) before income taxes	673.1	465.2	70.4
Benefit (provision) for income taxes	0	0	0
Earnings (loss) from continuing operations	673.1	465.2	70.4
Discontinued operations, net of tax	0	0	0
Net earnings (loss)	673.1	465.2	70.4
Less: Net earnings attributable to noncontrolling interests	0	0	0
Net earnings (loss) attributable to Ingersoll-Rand plc	673.1	465.2	70.4
IR Global Holding [Member]
Net revenues	0	0	0
Cost of goods sold	0	0	0
Selling and administrative expenses	(0.4)	(0.6)	(1.3)
Loss on sale/asset impairment	0
Operating income (loss)	(0.4)	(0.6)	(1.3)
Equity earnings in affiliates (net of tax)	711.1	1,050.5	903.2
Interest expense	(193.2)	(194.2)	(186.7)
Intercompany interest and fees	52.5	(33.3)	(69.8)
Other, net	251.5	(189.7)	(299.5)
Earnings (loss) before income taxes	821.5	632.7	345.9
Benefit (provision) for income taxes	0	0	0
Earnings (loss) from continuing operations	821.5	632.7	345.9
Discontinued operations, net of tax	0	0	0
Net earnings (loss)	821.5	632.7	345.9
Less: Net earnings attributable to noncontrolling interests	0	0	0
Net earnings (loss) attributable to Ingersoll-Rand plc	821.5	632.7	345.9
IR New Jersey [Member]
Net revenues	867.8	741.3	643.7
Cost of goods sold	(584.8)	(578.1)	(534.0)
Selling and administrative expenses	(277.0)	(223.8)	(288.3)
Loss on sale/asset impairment	0
Operating income (loss)	6.0	(60.6)	(178.6)
Equity earnings in affiliates (net of tax)	117.4	168.3	107.2
Interest expense	(50.7)	(51.9)	(53.4)
Intercompany interest and fees	(117.9)	(122.2)	(126.8)
Other, net	77.9	51.4	152.1
Earnings (loss) before income taxes	32.7	(15.0)	(99.5)
Benefit (provision) for income taxes	29.0	93.1	68.0
Earnings (loss) from continuing operations	61.7	78.1	(31.5)
Discontinued operations, net of tax	(79.1)	(16.8)	(50.5)
Net earnings (loss)	(17.4)	61.3	(82.0)
Less: Net earnings attributable to noncontrolling interests	0	0	0
Net earnings (loss) attributable to Ingersoll-Rand plc	(17.4)	61.3	(82.0)
Other Subsidiaries [Member]
Net revenues	13,914.2	13,259.8	12,365.4
Cost of goods sold	(9,908.8)	(9,481.8)	(8,902.4)
Selling and administrative expenses	(2,494.5)	(2,446.9)	(2,355.4)
Loss on sale/asset impairment	(646.9)
Operating income (loss)	864.0	1,331.1	1,107.6
Equity earnings in affiliates (net of tax)	655.6	526.6	(11.4)
Interest expense	(20.4)	(21.5)	(45.9)
Intercompany interest and fees	197.3	290.6	341.8
Other, net	(28.9)	6.0	(101.0)
Earnings (loss) before income taxes	1,667.6	2,132.8	1,291.1
Benefit (provision) for income taxes	(216.2)	(320.6)	(150.1)
Earnings (loss) from continuing operations	1,451.4	1,812.2	1,141.0
Discontinued operations, net of tax	22.3	(100.7)	13.9
Net earnings (loss)	1,473.7	1,711.5	1,154.9
Less: Net earnings attributable to noncontrolling interests	(35.5)	(39.6)	(63.4)
Net earnings (loss) attributable to Ingersoll-Rand plc	1,438.2	1,671.9	1,091.5
Consolidating Adjustments [Member]
Net revenues	0	0	0
Cost of goods sold	0	0	0
Selling and administrative expenses	0	0	0
Loss on sale/asset impairment	0
Operating income (loss)	0	0	0
Equity earnings in affiliates (net of tax)	(3,274.2)	(3,490.8)	(1,787.9)
Interest expense	0	0	0
Intercompany interest and fees	0	0	0
Other, net	(260.1)	173.1	262.4
Earnings (loss) before income taxes	(3,534.3)	(3,317.7)	(1,525.5)
Benefit (provision) for income taxes	0	0	0
Earnings (loss) from continuing operations	(3,534.3)	(3,317.7)	(1,525.5)
Discontinued operations, net of tax	0	0	0
Net earnings (loss)	(3,534.3)	(3,317.7)	(1,525.5)
Less: Net earnings attributable to noncontrolling interests	9.4	16.7	38.5
Net earnings (loss) attributable to Ingersoll-Rand plc	$ (3,524.9)	$ (3,301.0)	$ (1,487.0)