The Institute for Work at Height was formed as a Trade organization in January 2009 being a merger of the Specialized Access Engineering Manufacturers Association (SAEMA) and the Rope Access And Fall Arrest Association (RAFAA) desirous of creating safety awareness and in turn “professionalism in the overall Work At Height Industry”.

The members all agreed that their input in the development of the skills was lacking and thus they decided to apply for the registration of a Professional Body. In November 2012, the Institute for Work at Height Professional Body received official recognition by the South African Qualification Authority (SAQA)