Contingencies	3 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2013
Commitments and Contingencies Disclosure [Abstract]
Contingencies	Contingencies Various legal and regulatory proceedings and claims have been or may be asserted against NACCO and certain subsidiaries relating to the conduct of their businesses, including product liability, environmental and other claims. These proceedings and claims are incidental to the ordinary course of business of the Company. Management believes that it has meritorious defenses and will vigorously defend the Company in these actions. Any costs that management estimates will be paid as a result of these claims are accrued when the liability is considered probable and the amount can be reasonably estimated. Although the ultimate disposition of these proceedings is not presently determinable, management believes, after consultation with its legal counsel, that the likelihood is remote that material costs will be incurred in excess of accruals already recognized. HBB is investigating or remediating historical environmental contamination at some current and former sites operated by HBB or by businesses it acquired. Based on the current stage of the investigation or remediation at each known site, HBB estimates the total investigation and remediation costs and the period of assessment and remediation activity required for each site. The estimate of future investigation and remediation costs is primarily based on variables associated with site clean-up, including, but not limited to, physical characteristics of the site, the nature and extent of the contamination and applicable regulatory programs and remediation standards. No assessment can fully characterize all subsurface conditions at a site. There is no assurance that additional assessment and remediation efforts will not result in adjustments to estimated remediation costs or the time frame for remediation at these sites. Past results of operations have not been materially affected by a change in estimate of HBB's environmental exposure at known sites. HBB's estimates of investigation and remediation costs may change if it discovers contamination at additional sites or additional contamination at known sites, if the effectiveness of its current remediation efforts change, if applicable federal or state regulations change or if HBB's estimate of the time required to remediate the sites changes. HBB's revised estimates may differ materially from original estimates. At March 31, 2013, HBB had accrued approximately $5.0 million for environmental investigation and remediation activities at these sites. In addition, HBB estimates that it is reasonably possible that it may incur additional expenses in the range of $0 to $2.9 million related to the environmental investigation and remediation at these sites.

Contingencies

3 Months Ended

Mar. 31, 2013

Commitments and Contingencies Disclosure [Abstract]

Various legal and regulatory proceedings and claims have been or may be asserted against NACCO and certain subsidiaries relating to the conduct of their businesses, including product liability, environmental and other claims. These proceedings and claims are incidental to the ordinary course of business of the Company. Management believes that it has meritorious defenses and will vigorously defend the Company in these actions. Any costs that management estimates will be paid as a result of these claims are accrued when the liability is considered probable and the amount can be reasonably estimated. Although the ultimate disposition of these proceedings is not presently determinable, management believes, after consultation with its legal counsel, that the likelihood is remote that material costs will be incurred in excess of accruals already recognized.

HBB is investigating or remediating historical environmental contamination at some current and former sites operated by HBB or by businesses it acquired. Based on the current stage of the investigation or remediation at each known site, HBB estimates the total investigation and remediation costs and the period of assessment and remediation activity required for each site. The estimate of future investigation and remediation costs is primarily based on variables associated with site clean-up, including, but not limited to, physical characteristics of the site, the nature and extent of the contamination and applicable regulatory programs and remediation standards. No assessment can fully characterize all subsurface conditions at a site. There is no assurance that additional assessment and remediation efforts will not result in adjustments to estimated remediation costs or the time frame for remediation at these sites.

Past results of operations have not been materially affected by a change in estimate of HBB's environmental exposure at known sites. HBB's estimates of investigation and remediation costs may change if it discovers contamination at additional sites or additional contamination at known sites, if the effectiveness of its current remediation efforts change, if applicable federal or state regulations change or if HBB's estimate of the time required to remediate the sites changes. HBB's revised estimates may differ materially from original estimates.

At March 31, 2013, HBB had accrued approximately $5.0 million for environmental investigation and remediation activities at these sites. In addition, HBB estimates that it is reasonably possible that it may incur additional expenses in the range of $0 to $2.9 million related to the environmental investigation and remediation at these sites.