SEC Form 3

FORM 3

UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION Washington, D.C. 20549 INITIAL STATEMENT OF BENEFICIAL OWNERSHIP OF SECURITIES Filed pursuant to Section 16(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 or Section 30(h) of the Investment Company Act of 1940

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1. Name and Address of Reporting Person* HERRING RONALD N JR (Last) (First) (Middle) 121 GAMMA DRIVE (Street) PITTSBURGH PA 15238 (City) (State) (Zip)	2. Date of Event Requiring Statement (Month/Day/Year) 01/01/2004	3. Issuer Name and Ticker or Trading Symbol MINE SAFETY APPLIANCES CO [ MSA ]
		4. Relationship of Reporting Person(s) to Issuer (Check all applicable) Director 10% Owner X Officer (give title below) Other (specify below) Vice President	5. If Amendment, Date of Original Filed (Month/Day/Year)
			6. Individual or Joint/Group Filing (Check Applicable Line) X Form filed by One Reporting Person Form filed by More than One Reporting Person

Table I - Non-Derivative Securities Beneficially Owned
1. Title of Security (Instr. 4)	2. Amount of Securities Beneficially Owned (Instr. 4)	3. Ownership Form: Direct (D) or Indirect (I) (Instr. 5)	4. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership (Instr. 5)
Common Stock, no par value	2,354	D

Table II - Derivative Securities Beneficially Owned (e.g., puts, calls, warrants, options, convertible securities)
1. Title of Derivative Security (Instr. 4)	2. Date Exercisable and Expiration Date (Month/Day/Year)		3. Title and Amount of Securities Underlying Derivative Security (Instr. 4)		4. Conversion or Exercise Price of Derivative Security	5. Ownership Form: Direct (D) or Indirect (I) (Instr. 5)	6. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership (Instr. 5)
	Date Exercisable	Expiration Date	Title	Amount or Number of Shares
Stock Option (right to buy)	09/11/2002	03/11/2012	Common Stock	2,576	36.4165	D
Stock Option (right to buy)	03/12/2004	03/12/2013	Common Stock	3,126	31.959	D
Stock Option (right to buy)	03/12/2004	03/12/2013	Common Stock	5,196	31.959	D

Explanation of Responses:

	Douglas K. McClaine, Attorney-in-Fact for Ronald N. Herring, Jr.	01/06/2004
	** Signature of Reporting Person	Date
Reminder: Report on a separate line for each class of securities beneficially owned directly or indirectly.
* If the form is filed by more than one reporting person, see Instruction 5 (b)(v).
** Intentional misstatements or omissions of facts constitute Federal Criminal Violations See 18 U.S.C. 1001 and 15 U.S.C. 78ff(a).
Note: File three copies of this Form, one of which must be manually signed. If space is insufficient, see Instruction 6 for procedure.
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POWER OF ATTORNEY

To Sign and File Reports under Section 16(a)
of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934,
under Rule 144 or any other Filings Required
Under the Federal Securities Laws
With Respect to Securities of Mine Safety Appliances Company


               KNOW ALL MEN BY THESE PRESENTS, that the undersigned hereby constitutes and appoints Douglas K. McClaine or the General Counsel of Mine Safety Appliances Company ("MSA"), Dennis L. Zeitler or the Vice President-Finance of MSA and Nelson W. Winter, and each of them, his or her true and lawful attorneys-in-fact and agents, with full power of substitution, for the undersigned and in the undersigned's name, place and stead, to sign any and all reports of the undersigned under Section 16(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, under Rule 144 or any other filings required under the Federal Securities Laws with respect to securities of MSA, and to file the same with the Securities and Exchange Commission, granting unto said attorneys-in-fact and agents, and each of them, full power and authority to do and perform each and every act and thing requisite and necessary to be done as fully to all intents and purposes as the undersigned might or could do in person, hereby ratifying and confirming all th
at said attorneys-in-fact and agents or any of them, or his, her or their substitute or substitutes, may lawfully do or cause to be done by virtue hereof.  The undersigned acknowledges that the foregoing attorneys-in-fact, in serving in such capacity at the request of the undersigned, are not assuming any of the undersigned's responsibilities to comply with the Federal Securities Laws.

               This Power of Attorney shall remain in effect unless and until notice of its revocation shall have been filed by the undersigned with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

               IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned has executed and delivered this Power of Attorney the date set forth below.

Date:  January 2, 2004


                                       SIGNATURE: /s/Ronald N. Herring, Jr.


                                       PRINT NAME:  Ronald N. Herring, Jr.