8-K

UNITED STATES

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): December 11, 2012

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 Number)
1000 Cranberry Woods Drive Cranberry Township, PA		16066
(Address of principal executive offices)		(Zip Code)

Registrant’s telephone number, including area code: 724-776-8600

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 5.02 Departure of Directors or Certain Officers; Election of Directors; Appointment of Certain Officers; Compensatory Arrangements of Certain Officers.

Election of Director

On December 11, 2012 the Board of Directors of Mine Safety Appliances Company elected Alvaro Garcia-Tunon to the Company’s Board of Directors. The Company’s press release announcing the election is filed as an exhibit to this report.

Item 9.01 Financial Statements and Exhibits.

(d) Exhibits. The following exhibit is being furnished as part of this Report.

Exhibit No.	Description
99.1	Press Release dated December 14, 2012

SIGNATURE

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/ Douglas K. McClaine
	Douglas K. McClaine
	Vice President, General Counsel
	and Secretary

Date: December 14, 2012

EX-99.1

Exhibit 99.1

FROM: MSA (Mine Safety Appliances Company) Ticker: MSA (NYSE) Contact: Mark Deasy – (724) 741-8570

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Alvaro Garcia-Tunon Elected to MSA Board of Directors

PITTSBURGH, December 14, 2012 – MSA (NYSE: MSA), the global leader in the development and manufacture of safety products, today announced that Alvaro Garcia-Tunon, Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer for Wabtec Corp. (NYSE: WAB), Pittsburgh, Pa., has been elected to MSA’s Board of Directors. Mr. Garcia-Tunon’s election is part of a succession plan in anticipation of future retirements.

“We feel very fortunate to be able to add a person of Alvaro’s caliber to the MSA Board,” said William M. Lambert, MSA President and CEO. “Alvaro brings to MSA a tremendous amount of experience in the areas of international business and finance, and his expertise will serve MSA well as we continue to advance our corporate strategy and work toward our long-range growth goals.”

Over Mr. Garcia-Tunon’s nine years serving as Wabtec’s CFO, the company’s sales have more than tripled, while Wabtec’s share price has increased from approximately $13 per share to a recent high of $88. Additionally, the company’s share price has increased 11 consecutive years through 2011, the longest record of continuous appreciation by any publicly listed U.S. company.

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Mr. Garcia-Tunon joined Wabtec in 1990, holding several roles within the company including Senior Vice President of Finance, and Vice President, Business Development of Pulse Electronics. From 1986 to 1990, Mr. Garcia-Tunon served as Vice President of Acquisitions for AMF Bowling Centers, Inc., Richmond, Va. Mr. Garcia-Tunon also has held various leadership roles with Price Waterhouse and Co., and Arthur Andersen and Co. He currently serves on the board of Pittsburgh-based Matthews International Corp. (NASDAQ GSM: MATW), for which he chairs the Audit Committee.

A graduate from the University of Virginia, Mr. Garcia-Tunon holds a bachelor’s degree in Commerce. He also earned a Juris Doctor from the College of William and Mary. In addition to his college degrees, Mr. Garcia-Tunon is a certified public accountant and is a member of the Virginia Bar.

About MSA:

Established in 1914, MSA is the global leader in the development, manufacture and supply of safety products that protect people and facility infrastructures. Many MSA products integrate a 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 a broad range of industries, including the fire service, the oil, gas and petrochemical industry, construction, mining and utilities, as well as the military. Principal products include self-contained breathing apparatus, fixed gas and flame detection systems, handheld gas detection instruments, head protection products, fall protection devices and thermal imaging cameras. The company also provides a broad range of consumer and contractor safety products through a joint venture with MCR Safety. These products are marketed and sold under the Safety Works^® brand. MSA, based north of Pittsburgh in Cranberry Township, Pa., has annual sales of approximately $1.2 billion, manufacturing operations in the United States, Europe, Asia and Latin America, and 42 international locations. Additional information is available on the company’s Web site at www.MSAsafety.com. Information on Safety Works products can be found at www.SafetyWorks.com.

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