Oct 26,2004

MSA Declares Fourth Quarter Dividend and Announces Share Purchase

PITTSBURGH, Oct. 26 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- The Board of Directors of Mine Safety Appliances Company (NYSE: MSA) (MSA) today declared a fourth quarter dividend of 10 cents per share on common stock, payable December 10, 2004 to shareholders of record on November 19, 2004.

The Board also declared a dividend of 56-1/4 cents per share on preferred stock, payable December 1, 2004 to shareholders of record on November 19, 2004.

In addition, the Board has authorized the company to purchase up to 200,000 shares of its common stock from time to time in private transactions and on the New York Stock Exchange.

SOURCE  MSA
    -0-                             10/26/2004
    /CONTACT:  Mark Deasy of MSA, +1-412-967-3357/
    /Web site:  http://www.msanet.com /
    (MSA)

CO:  MSA; Mine Safety Appliances Company
ST:  Pennsylvania
IN:  ENV HEA
SU:  DIV

JE-KM 
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9768 10/26/2004 17:33 EDT http://www.prnewswire.com