Guarantor Financial Information (Condensed Consolidating Statements of Cash Flows) (Details) (USD $) In Millions, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2012	Mar. 31, 2011
Net cash provided by (used in) continuing operating activities	$ 82.2	$ (53.2)
Net cash provided by (used in) discontinued operating activities	(65.8)	(9.3)
Capital expenditures	(52.9)	(41.5)
Acquisition of businesses, net of cash acquired	0	(2.5)
Proceeds from sale of property, plant and equipment	3.2	3.0
Net cash provided by (used in) continuing investing activities	(49.7)	(41.0)
Net cash provided by (used in) discontinued investing activities	0	0
Net proceeds (repayments) in debt	(1.3)	(8.2)
Debt issuance costs	(2.4)	0
Net inter-company proceeds (payments)	0	0
Dividends paid to ordinary shareholders	(46.6)	(23.1)
Dividends paid to noncontrolling interests	(4.5)	(3.7)
Proceeds from shares issued under incentive plans	12.9	36.0
Other, net	0	(0.4)
Net cash provided by (used in) continuing financing activities	(41.9)	0.6
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash and cash equivalents	4.0	6.7
Net increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents	(71.2)	(96.2)
Cash and cash equivalents - beginning of period	1,160.7	1,014.3
Cash and cash equivalents - end of period	1,089.5	918.1
IR Ireland [Member]
Net cash provided by (used in) continuing operating activities	(1.8)	(1.7)
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
Net cash provided by (used in) continuing investing activities	0	0
Net cash provided by (used in) discontinued investing activities	0	0
Net proceeds (repayments) in debt	0	0
Debt issuance costs	0	0
Net inter-company proceeds (payments)	35.5	(10.6)
Dividends paid to ordinary shareholders	(46.6)	(23.1)
Dividends paid to noncontrolling interests	0	0
Proceeds from shares issued under incentive plans	12.9	36.0
Other, net	0	(0.4)
Net cash provided by (used in) continuing financing activities	1.8	1.9
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash and cash equivalents	0	0
Net increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents	0	0.2
Cash and cash equivalents - beginning of period	0	0.4
Cash and cash equivalents - end of period	0	0.6
IR Limited [Member]
Net cash provided by (used in) continuing operating activities	0	(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
Net cash provided by (used in) continuing investing activities	0	0
Net cash provided by (used in) discontinued investing activities	0	0
Net proceeds (repayments) in debt	0	0
Debt issuance costs	0	0
Net inter-company proceeds (payments)	0	0.1
Dividends paid to ordinary shareholders	0	0
Dividends paid to noncontrolling interests	0	0
Proceeds from shares issued under incentive plans	0	0
Other, net	0	0
Net cash provided by (used in) continuing financing activities	0	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	(3.8)	(3.3)
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
Net cash provided by (used in) continuing investing activities	0	0
Net cash provided by (used in) discontinued investing activities	0	0
Net proceeds (repayments) in debt	0	0
Debt issuance costs	0	0
Net inter-company proceeds (payments)	3.8	(8.7)
Dividends paid to ordinary shareholders	0	0
Dividends paid to noncontrolling interests	0	0
Proceeds from shares issued under incentive plans	0	0
Other, net	0	0
Net cash provided by (used in) continuing financing activities	3.8	(8.7)
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash and cash equivalents	0	0
Net increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents	0	(12.0)
Cash and cash equivalents - beginning of period	0	12.0
Cash and cash equivalents - end of period	0	0
IR Global Holding [Member]
Net cash provided by (used in) continuing operating activities	(47.9)	(48.2)
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
Net cash provided by (used in) continuing investing activities	0	0
Net cash provided by (used in) discontinued investing activities	0	0
Net proceeds (repayments) in debt	0	(0.2)
Debt issuance costs	(2.4)	0
Net inter-company proceeds (payments)	(70.7)	29.8
Dividends paid to ordinary shareholders	0	0
Dividends paid to noncontrolling interests	0	0
Proceeds from shares issued under incentive plans	0	0
Other, net	0	0
Net cash provided by (used in) continuing financing activities	(73.1)	29.6
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash and cash equivalents	0	0
Net increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents	(121.0)	(18.6)
Cash and cash equivalents - beginning of period	241.8	99.9
Cash and cash equivalents - end of period	120.8	81.3
IR New Jersey [Member]
Net cash provided by (used in) continuing operating activities	(20.9)	(22.2)
Net cash provided by (used in) discontinued operating activities	14.3	(7.2)
Capital expenditures	(13.5)	(8.5)
Acquisition of businesses, net of cash acquired	0	0
Proceeds from sale of property, plant and equipment	0	0.2
Net cash provided by (used in) continuing investing activities	(13.5)	(8.3)
Net cash provided by (used in) discontinued investing activities	0	0
Net proceeds (repayments) in debt	(0.1)	0
Debt issuance costs	0	0
Net inter-company proceeds (payments)	145.4	30.1
Dividends paid to ordinary shareholders	0	0
Dividends paid to noncontrolling interests	0	0
Proceeds from shares issued under incentive plans	0	0
Other, net	0	0
Net cash provided by (used in) continuing financing activities	145.3	30.1
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash and cash equivalents	0	0
Net increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents	125.2	(7.6)
Cash and cash equivalents - beginning of period	77.8	135.5
Cash and cash equivalents - end of period	203.0	127.9
Other Subsidiaries [Member]
Net cash provided by (used in) continuing operating activities	156.6	22.3
Net cash provided by (used in) discontinued operating activities	(80.1)	(2.1)
Capital expenditures	(39.4)	(33.0)
Acquisition of businesses, net of cash acquired	0	(2.5)
Proceeds from sale of property, plant and equipment	3.2	2.8
Net cash provided by (used in) continuing investing activities	(36.2)	(32.7)
Net cash provided by (used in) discontinued investing activities	0	0
Net proceeds (repayments) in debt	(1.2)	(8.0)
Debt issuance costs	0	0
Net inter-company proceeds (payments)	(114.0)	(40.7)
Dividends paid to ordinary shareholders		0
Dividends paid to noncontrolling interests	(4.5)	(3.7)
Proceeds from shares issued under incentive plans	0	0
Other, net	0	0
Net cash provided by (used in) continuing financing activities	(119.7)	(52.4)
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash and cash equivalents	4.0	6.7
Net increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents	(75.4)	(58.2)
Cash and cash equivalents - beginning of period	841.1	766.5
Cash and cash equivalents - end of period	$ 765.7	$ 708.3