Guarantor Financial Information (Condensed Consolidating Statements of Cash Flows) (Details) (USD $) In Millions, unless otherwise specified	9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2012	Sep. 30, 2011
Net cash provided by (used in) continuing operating activities	$ 822.9	$ 768.8
Net cash provided by (used in) discontinued operating activities	(87.4)	(28.0)
Net cash provided by (used in) operating activities	735.5	740.8
Capital expenditures	(170.9)	(129.1)
Acquisition of businesses, net of cash acquired	0	(1.8)
Proceeds from sale of property, plant and equipment	12.8	49.3
Proceeds from business dispositions, net of cash sold	0	336.7
Net cash provided by (used in) continuing investing activities	(158.1)	255.1
Net cash provided by (used in) discontinued investing activities	36.0	44.4
Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities	(122.1)	299.5
Net proceeds (repayments) in debt	(351.5)	(52.5)
Debt issuance costs	(2.5)	(2.4)
Net inter-company proceeds (payments)	0	0
Dividends paid to ordinary shareholders	(145.1)	(101.5)
Dividends paid to noncontrolling interests	(16.2)	(22.9)
Acquisition/divestiture of noncontrolling interest	(0.4)	(1.3)
Proceeds from shares issued under incentive plans	57.7	107.4
Repurchase of ordinary shares	(374.9)	(575.6)
Other, net	(4.5)	(1.5)
Net cash provided by (used in) continuing financing activities	(837.4)	(650.3)
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash and cash equivalents	(7.1)	(0.5)
Net increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents	(231.1)	389.5
Cash and cash equivalents - beginning of period	1,160.7	1,014.3
Cash and cash equivalents - end of period	929.6	1,403.8
IR Ireland [Member]
Net cash provided by (used in) continuing operating activities	(12.2)	(6.2)
Net cash provided by (used in) discontinued operating activities	0	0
Net cash provided by (used in) operating activities	(12.2)	(6.2)
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
Net cash provided by (used in) continuing investing activities	0	0
Net cash provided by (used in) discontinued investing activities	0	0
Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities	0	0
Net proceeds (repayments) in debt	0	0
Debt issuance costs	0	0
Net inter-company proceeds (payments)	479.4	576.0
Dividends paid to ordinary shareholders	(145.1)	(101.5)
Dividends paid to noncontrolling interests	0	0
Acquisition/divestiture of noncontrolling interest	(0.4)	0
Proceeds from shares issued under incentive plans	57.7	107.4
Repurchase of ordinary shares	(374.9)	(575.6)
Other, net	(4.5)	(0.5)
Net cash provided by (used in) continuing financing activities	12.2	5.8
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash and cash equivalents	0	0
Net increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents	0	(0.4)
Cash and cash equivalents - beginning of period	0	0.4
Cash and cash equivalents - end of period	0	0
IR Limited [Member]
Net cash provided by (used in) continuing operating activities	(0.4)	(0.1)
Net cash provided by (used in) discontinued operating activities	0	0
Net cash provided by (used in) operating activities	(0.4)	(0.1)
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
Net cash provided by (used in) continuing investing activities	0	0
Net cash provided by (used in) discontinued investing activities	0	0
Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities	0	0
Net proceeds (repayments) in debt	0	0
Debt issuance costs	0	0
Net inter-company proceeds (payments)	0.4	0.1
Dividends paid to ordinary shareholders	0	0
Dividends paid to noncontrolling interests	0	0
Acquisition/divestiture of noncontrolling interest	0	0
Proceeds from shares issued under incentive plans	0	0
Repurchase of ordinary shares	0	0
Other, net	0	0
Net cash provided by (used in) continuing financing activities	0.4	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	(11.3)	(10.4)
Net cash provided by (used in) discontinued operating activities	0	0
Net cash provided by (used in) operating activities	(11.3)	(10.4)
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
Net cash provided by (used in) continuing investing activities	0	0
Net cash provided by (used in) discontinued investing activities	0	0
Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities	0	0
Net proceeds (repayments) in debt	0	0
Debt issuance costs	0	0
Net inter-company proceeds (payments)	11.3	(1.6)
Dividends paid to ordinary shareholders	0	0
Dividends paid to noncontrolling interests	0	0
Acquisition/divestiture of noncontrolling interest	0	0
Proceeds from shares issued under incentive plans	0	0
Repurchase of ordinary shares	0	0
Other, net	0	0
Net cash provided by (used in) continuing financing activities	11.3	(1.6)
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 [Member]
Net cash provided by (used in) continuing operating activities	(216.8)	(140.8)
Net cash provided by (used in) discontinued operating activities	0	0
Net cash provided by (used in) operating activities	(216.8)	(140.8)
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
Net cash provided by (used in) continuing investing activities	0	0
Net cash provided by (used in) discontinued investing activities	0	0
Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities	0	0
Net proceeds (repayments) in debt	(280.5)	(0.2)
Debt issuance costs	(2.5)	(2.4)
Net inter-company proceeds (payments)	258.0	217.5
Dividends paid to ordinary shareholders	0	0
Dividends paid to noncontrolling interests	0	0
Acquisition/divestiture of noncontrolling interest	0	0
Proceeds from shares issued under incentive plans	0	0
Repurchase of ordinary shares	0	0
Other, net	0	0
Net cash provided by (used in) continuing financing activities	(25.0)	214.9
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash and cash equivalents	0	0
Net increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents	(241.8)	74.1
Cash and cash equivalents - beginning of period	241.8	99.9
Cash and cash equivalents - end of period	0	174.0
IR New Jersey [Member]
Net cash provided by (used in) continuing operating activities	(108.8)	(88.8)
Net cash provided by (used in) discontinued operating activities	(0.6)	(16.6)
Net cash provided by (used in) operating activities	(109.4)	(105.4)
Capital expenditures	(49.3)	(26.2)
Acquisition of businesses, net of cash acquired	0	0
Proceeds from sale of property, plant and equipment	0	1.6
Proceeds from business dispositions, net of cash sold		0
Net cash provided by (used in) continuing investing activities	(49.3)	(24.6)
Net cash provided by (used in) discontinued investing activities	0	0
Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities	(49.3)	(24.6)
Net proceeds (repayments) in debt	(8.6)	(7.6)
Debt issuance costs	0	0
Net inter-company proceeds (payments)	108.9	372.9
Dividends paid to ordinary shareholders	0	0
Dividends paid to noncontrolling interests	0	0
Acquisition/divestiture of noncontrolling interest	0	0
Proceeds from shares issued under incentive plans	0	0
Repurchase of ordinary shares	0	0
Other, net	0	0
Net cash provided by (used in) continuing financing activities	100.3	365.3
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash and cash equivalents	0	0
Net increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents	(58.4)	235.3
Cash and cash equivalents - beginning of period	77.8	135.5
Cash and cash equivalents - end of period	19.4	370.8
Other Subsidiaries [Member]
Net cash provided by (used in) continuing operating activities	1,488.9	1,030.8
Net cash provided by (used in) discontinued operating activities	(86.8)	(11.4)
Net cash provided by (used in) operating activities	1,402.1	1,019.4
Capital expenditures	(121.6)	(102.9)
Acquisition of businesses, net of cash acquired	0	(1.8)
Proceeds from sale of property, plant and equipment	12.8	47.7
Proceeds from business dispositions, net of cash sold		336.7
Net cash provided by (used in) continuing investing activities	(108.8)	279.7
Net cash provided by (used in) discontinued investing activities	36.0	44.4
Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities	(72.8)	324.1
Net proceeds (repayments) in debt	(62.4)	(44.7)
Debt issuance costs	0	0
Net inter-company proceeds (payments)	(858.0)	(1,164.9)
Dividends paid to ordinary shareholders	(316.5)	(15.7)
Dividends paid to noncontrolling interests	(16.2)	(22.9)
Acquisition/divestiture of noncontrolling interest	0	(1.3)
Proceeds from shares issued under incentive plans	0	0
Repurchase of ordinary shares	0	0
Other, net	0	(1.0)
Net cash provided by (used in) continuing financing activities	(1,253.1)	(1,250.5)
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash and cash equivalents	(7.1)	(0.5)
Net increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents	69.1	92.5
Cash and cash equivalents - beginning of period	841.1	766.5
Cash and cash equivalents - end of period	910.2	859.0
Consolidating Adjustments [Member]
Net cash provided by (used in) continuing operating activities	(316.5)	(15.7)
Net cash provided by (used in) discontinued operating activities	0	0
Net cash provided by (used in) operating activities	(316.5)	(15.7)
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
Net cash provided by (used in) continuing investing activities	0	0
Net cash provided by (used in) discontinued investing activities	0	0
Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities	0	0
Net proceeds (repayments) in debt	0	0
Debt issuance costs	0	0
Net inter-company proceeds (payments)	0	0
Dividends paid to ordinary shareholders	316.5	15.7
Dividends paid to noncontrolling interests	0	0
Acquisition/divestiture of noncontrolling interest	0	0
Proceeds from shares issued under incentive plans	0	0
Repurchase of ordinary shares	0	0
Other, net	0	0
Net cash provided by (used in) continuing financing activities	316.5	15.7
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