8-K

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

FORM 8-K

CURRENT REPORT

Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of

The Securities Exchange Act of 1934

Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported): April 29, 2010

MINE SAFETY APPLIANCES COMPANY

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

Pennsylvania	1-15579	25-0668780
(State or other jurisdiction of incorporation or organization)	(Commission File Number)	(IRS Employer Identification No.)

121 Gamma Drive RIDC Industrial Park O’Hara Township Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania	15238
(Address of principal executive offices)	(Zip Code)

Registrant’s telephone number, including area code: 412-967-3000

Check the appropriate box below if the Form 8-K filing is intended to simultaneously satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any of the following provisions:

¨ Written communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17 CFR 230.425)

¨ Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14a-12)

¨ Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b))

¨ Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.13e-4(c))

Item 2.02 Results of Operations and Financial Condition.

On April 29, 2010, the Company issued a press release announcing its financial results for the quarter ended March 31, 2010. A copy of the press release is furnished herewith as Exhibit 99.1 to this report.

Item 9.01. Exhibits

Exhibit Number	Description
99.1	Mine Safety Appliances Company Press Release dated April 29, 2010, announcing financial results for the quarter ended March 31, 2010.

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SIGNATURES

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned thereunto duly authorized.

MINE SAFETY APPLIANCES COMPANY (Registrant)
By	/s/ Dennis L. Zeitler
	Dennis L. Zeitler
	Senior Vice President - Finance

Date: April 29, 2010

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EXHIBIT INDEX

Exhibit Number	Description
99.1	Mine Safety Appliances Company Press Release dated April 29, 2010, announcing financial results for the quarter ended March 31, 2010.

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EX-99.1

Exhibit 99.1

FROM:	MSA (Mine Safety Appliances Company)
	Ticker: MSA (NYSE)
	Contact: Mark Deasy – (412) 967-3357

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

MSA Announces First Quarter Results

PITTSBURGH, April 29, 2010 – MSA (NYSE: MSA) today announced that net sales for the first quarter of 2010 were $212.4 million compared with $218.2 million for the first quarter of 2009, a decrease of $5.8 million, or 3 percent. Net income for the first quarter of 2010 was $4.9 million, or 14 cents per basic share, a decrease of $2.3 million, or 32 percent, compared with $7.2 million, or 20 cents per basic share, for the same quarter last year. Reported net income for first quarter 2010 includes after-tax restructuring charges of $4.7 million, or 13 cents per basic share.

“MSA’s consolidated sales in the first quarter reflected signs of the ongoing economic recession, but also provided encouraging signs of optimism,” said William M. Lambert, MSA President and CEO. “Our incoming order book strengthened late in the first quarter and provided us with cautious optimism that our core industrial business, which makes up two-thirds of our sales, is working its way out of the global economic recession. More specifically, orders began to show a great deal of strength in March and we’re seeing this trend continue in April,” he said.

For the first quarter of 2010, sales in the company’s North American segment decreased $11.6 million, or 10 percent. Self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA) sales were down $13.0 million in the current quarter. First quarter 2009 SCBA sales benefited from $7.3 million in shipments of the company’s FireHawk^® M7 Responder to the U.S. Air Force. Excluding shipments on this contract, SCBA sales were

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$5.7 million lower in the current quarter, reflecting delays in fire department funding under the Assistance to Firefighters Grant program and tight municipal budgets. Shipments of Advanced Combat helmets to the U.S. military were $3.8 million lower, reflecting the transition to a new contract. Shipments of head protection and instrument products were up $1.9 million and $3.4 million, respectively, on modestly improved demand in industrial markets, particularly late in the quarter.

Sales in the company’s European segment decreased $3.8 million, or 6 percent, in the first quarter of 2010. Local currency sales were down $8.4 million, or 14 percent, on lower shipments to fire service and military markets. Currency translation effects increased first quarter European segment sales, when stated in U.S. dollars, by $4.6 million, due to a stronger euro.

Sales in MSA’s International segment were up $9.6 million, or 20 percent, in the first quarter of 2010. Local currency sales were essentially flat quarter to quarter. Currency translation effects increased first quarter International segment sales, when stated in U.S. dollars, by $9.4 million.

Net income in MSA’s North American segment decreased $0.3 million, or 8 percent, in the first quarter of 2010. North American segment net income for the first quarter of 2009 included a $4.4 million after-tax charge related to a voluntary retirement incentive program in the U.S. Excluding this 2009 one-time charge, North American segment net income was down $4.7 million in the current quarter. The decrease reflects the negative effect of the previously-discussed decrease in sales.

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MSA’s European segment reported a loss of $3.8 million in the first quarter of 2010, compared to income of $2.2 million in the first quarter of 2009. The current quarter loss includes a $3.7 million after-tax charge related to severance costs and a voluntary retirement incentive program in Germany that was completed in March as part of the company’s previously announced initiative to streamline European operations. Excluding this one-time charge, European segment net income was down $2.3 million in the current quarter. The decrease reflects the previously discussed decrease in sales. Currency translation effects increased current period European segment net income, when stated in U.S. dollars, by $0.9 million.

Net income in MSA’s International segment was $3.4 million higher in the first quarter of 2010. Higher local currency net income was primarily related to improved gross profits, on a more favorable product and geographic sales mix. Currency translation effects increased current quarter International segment net income, when stated in U.S. dollars, by approximately $0.5 million.

“Although I am encouraged by the recent strength we’re seeing in incoming orders, I also realize it is early in the recovery,” Mr. Lambert said. “At this time last year we were deploying defensive measures with a focus on cost management activities to offset the effects of the recession. With signs of an economic recovery beginning to surface and solidify, we are now emphasizing an investment focus in those areas that will help us accelerate growth, build market share, and provide a foundation for our long-term success. We’re making prudent investments in R&D, marketing and selling because it appears that a meaningful recovery will proceed at an uneven rate with a somewhat slow improvement in employment levels over the rest of the year. Overall, 2010 is a transition year for MSA when we move from playing defense to playing offense, as the economy improves,” Mr. Lambert concluded.

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About MSA:

Established in 1914, MSA is a global leader in the development, manufacture and supply of sophisticated safety products that protect people’s health and safety. Sophisticated safety products typically integrate any combination of electronics, mechanical systems and advanced materials to protect users against hazardous or life-threatening situations. The company’s comprehensive line of products is used by workers around the world in the fire service, homeland security, construction and other industries, as well as the military. Principal products include self-contained breathing apparatus, gas masks, gas detection instruments, head protection, respirators and thermal imaging cameras. The company also provides a broad range of consumer and contractor safety products through retail channels. These products are marketed and sold under the MSA Safety Works brand. MSA has annual sales of approximately $1 billion, manufacturing operations throughout the United States and Europe, and 42 international locations. Additional information is available on the company’s Web site at www.msanet.com.

Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Statements:

Except for historical information, certain matters discussed in this press release may be forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. Forward-looking statements, including without limitation all projections and anticipated levels of future performance, involve risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause our actual results to differ materially from those discussed herein. Actual results can be affected by any number of factors, many of which are outside of management’s control. Among the factors that could cause such differences are global economic conditions, spending patterns of government agencies, competitive pressures, product liability claims, the success of new product introductions, currency exchange rate fluctuations, the identification and successful integration of acquisitions and the risks of doing business in foreign countries. These risks, uncertainties and other factors are detailed from time-to-time in our filings with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”). You are strongly urged to review all such filings for a more detailed discussion of such risks and uncertainties. MSA’s SEC filings are readily obtainable at no charge at www.sec.gov, as well as on a number of other commercial web sites.

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Mine Safety Appliances Company

Consolidated Condensed Statement of Income (Unaudited)

(In thousands, except earnings per share)

	Three Months Ended March 31
	2010			2009
Net sales	$	212,434		$	218,175
Other income		1,305			859
		213,739			219,034
Cost of products sold		129,981			135,198
Selling, general and administrative		61,908			56,820
Research and development		7,736			7,013
Restructuring and other charges		6,809			8,095
Interest		1,540			1,847
Currency exchange gains		(2,158	)		(926	)
		205,816			208,047
Income before income taxes		7,923			10,987
Provision for income taxes		2,803			3,614
Net income		5,120			7,373
Net income attributable to noncontrolling interests		(214	)		(152	)
Net income attributable to Mine Safety Appliances Company		4,906			7,221
Basic earnings per share	$	.14		$	.20
Diluted earnings per share	$	.14		$	.20
Dividends per common share	$	.24		$	.24
Basic shares outstanding		35,697			35,633
Diluted shares outstanding		36,224			35,824

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Mine Safety Appliances Company

Consolidated Condensed Balance Sheet (Unaudited)

(In thousands)

	March 31, 2010		December  31, 2009
Current assets
Cash and cash equivalents	$	61,896	$	61,983
Trade receivables, net		170,240		173,355
Inventories		128,652		123,944
Other current assets		61,403		74,743
Total current assets		422,191		434,025
Property, net		140,128		144,575
Prepaid pension cost		109,060		105,812
Goodwill		84,105		84,727
Other non-current assets		120,964		106,089
Total		876,448		875,228
Current liabilities
Notes payable and current portion of long-term debt	$	34,750	$	16,326
Accounts payable		52,072		43,487
Other current liabilities		90,557		108,637
Total current liabilities		177,379		168,450
Long-term debt		82,112		82,114
Pensions and other employee benefits		125,427		125,387
Deferred tax liabilities		44,750		44,800
Other non-current liabilities		14,674		15,077
Equity		432,106		439,400
Total		876,448		875,228

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Mine Safety Appliances Company

Segment Information (Unaudited)

(In thousands)

	Three Months Ended March 31
	2010			2009
Net sales
North America	$	99,114		$	110,721
Europe		56,624			60,382
International		56,696			47,072
Total		212,434			218,175
Net income (loss)
North America	$	3,435		$	3,724
Europe		(3,815	)		2,221
International		3,925			463
Reconciling		1,361			813
Total		4,906			7,221

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