Press Release

- Company Selected to Participate in Development Phase of Next Generation Combat Helmet
- Awarded Breathing Apparatus Contract from U.S. Coast Guard
- Receives Order for Respiratory Protective Equipment from U.S. Army

PITTSBURGH, July 21 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- MSA (NYSE: MSA), the world's leading provider of safety equipment, today announced it has received more than $10 million in contracts and product orders from three U.S. government agencies for respiratory protective equipment and to participate in the development of the Enhanced Combat Helmet (ECH) -- a next-generation ballistic helmet being developed for the U.S. Marine Corps and the U.S. Army.

The Enhanced Combat Helmet is a new ballistic helmet that incorporates thermoplastics and other advanced materials to provide a level of ballistic head protection that exceeds that of the Advanced Combat Helmet -- the U.S. Army's current standard of issue. In receiving a $4.1 contract from Marine Corps Systems Command, MSA was named a participant in Phase 1 of the ECH project. Under this phase, MSA will produce ECHs that will be subjected to ballistic testing. Subsequent phases of the project call for operational assessment in 2009, followed by First Article submission in 2010.

"We're extremely pleased the U.S. Marine Corps and the U.S. Army have chosen MSA to participate in the ECH program," said William Lambert, MSA President and CEO. "This is an exciting and rewarding project for MSA, and we're proud to be associated with a program focused on raising the level of protection for our fighting men and women in uniform. We were proud to partner with the U.S. Army in 2002 to develop the Advanced Combat Helmet, and today we're equally thrilled to have an opportunity to forge yet another advancement in battlefield safety."

In addition to the ECH contract, MSA also received a $4.5 million contract to furnish the U.S. Coast Guard with an advanced self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA) system, and a $1.5 million order to supply civilian personnel on select Army bases with respiratory protective equipment used for first responder activities.

The Coast Guard contract represents the first release of a three-year blanket purchase agreement designed to outfit all Coast Guard vessels with MSA's Firehawk M7 Responder Air Mask. The SCBA is a multi-function breathing apparatus developed for U.S. Air Force firefighters. Designed for application in multiple situations, it combines the advanced and high-performance features of MSA's latest generation of SCBA with those of a powered air-purifying respirator and gas mask. These features integrate to provide users with a three-way, long-duration respiratory protection solution. The system also meets and exceeds the latest National Fire Protection Association performance standards, providing military personnel with approved protection from chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear (CBRN) contaminants.

For the U.S. Army order, MSA will supply a variety of respiratory protection devices used for HazMat and other first responder applications. The MSA devices purchased under this order include Powered Air-Purifying Respirators, Gas Masks and SCBA.

Established in 1914, MSA is a global leader in the development, manufacture and supply of safety products that protect people's health and safety. Many MSA 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, oil, gas and petrochemical industry, homeland security, construction, mining and other industries, as well as the military. Principal products include self-contained breathing apparatus, gas masks, gas detection instruments, head protection, ballistic body armor, fall protection devices 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 in the United States, Europe, Asia and Latin America, and more than 40 international locations. Additional information is available on the company's Web site at www.msanet.com.

SOURCE MSA

CONTACT:
Mark Deasy
of MSA
+1-412-967-3357
Web Site: http://www.msanet.com