OSAC Standards Bulletin 1 April 2018

BULLETIN SUMMARY

This Bulletin provides an update on forensic science standards that are moving through the development 

process at standards developing organizations (SDOs), and those that are moving through the Registry 

Approval Process at the Organization of Scientific Area Committees for Forensic Science (OSAC). 

Please consider providing comments on documents that are open for comment.

OSAC Registry Standards open for comment: 2 Items

SDO Documents open for comment: 3 Items

OSAC REGISTRY NEWS

Intent to Add to the OSAC Registry – Items Open for Comment

ASTM E1610-18, Standard Guide for Forensic Paint Analysis and Comparison

Read the standard or submit a comment by May 9, 2018, 11:59pm EDT. 

ASTM E2937-18, Standard Guide for Using Infrared Spectroscopy in Forensic Paint Examinations

Read the standard or submit a comment by May 9, 2018, 11:59pm EDT. 

Standards Moving Through the OSAC Registry Approval Process 

This section only lists standards that moved from one step in the OSAC Registry Approval Process to another 

during the last month. A list of all standards currently under consideration is available on the OSAC website.

ASTM E3085-17, Standard Guide for Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy in Forensic Tape 

Examinations moved to Standards at FSSB for Vote.

OSAC Standards Bulletin

April 2018
OSAC Standards Bulletin 2 April 2018

STANDARDS DEVELOPING ORGANIZATION (SDO) NEWS

Comment Period Open on Draft Documents

American Academy of Forensic Sciences (AAFS) Academy Standards Board (ASB):

ASB Standard 019, Wildlife Forensics General Standards, First Edition (Comment deadline: May 14, 

2018)

ASB Standard 029, Report Writing in Wildlife Forensics, First Edition (Comment deadline: May 14, 

2018)

ASB Standard 035, Standard for the Examination of Documents for Alterations, First Edition (Comment 

deadline: May 14, 2018)

Please visit the Notification of Standard Development and Coordination area of the AAFS Standards 

Board website to view the comment resolutions from the initial public comment periods, the updated 

documents, and redline versions of the documents. The comment template can also be downloaded from the 

website. Please send any questions to asb@aafs.org.

New Work Proposals for New or Revised Standards

American Academy of Forensic Sciences (AAFS) Academy Standards Board (ASB):

• Project Initiation Notification System (PINS) were published on page 18, in ANSI Standards Action on 

March 23, 2018. This will begin a 30-day period for public comment on the initiation of the ASB’s work 

on the documents listed below: 

BSR/ASB BPR 031-201x, Guidelines for Report Writing in Bloodstain Pattern Analysis (new 

standard). This document provides guidelines for report writing in bloodstain pattern analysis 

(BPA). In addition, guidance is provided regarding statements to be avoided in the report.

BSR/ASB Std 030-201x, Standards for a Quality Assurance Program in Bloodstain Pattern 

Analysis (new standard). A quality assurance program is necessary to ensure the quality of the 

work product that comes from any forensic service provider. This document is designed to 

provide requirements for a quality assurance program in bloodstain pattern analysis to forensic 

service providers.

• Project Initiation Notification System (PINS) were published on page 19, in ANSI Standards Action on 

April 6, 2018. This will begin a 30-day period for public comment on the initiation of the ASB’s work on 

the document listed below: 

BSR/ASB BPR 072-201x, Standards for the Validation of Procedures in Bloodstain Pattern 

Analysis (new standard). This document applies to the validation of procedures for bloodstain 

pattern analysis casework and new equipment. It also applies to the internal validation of 

established procedures existing within the BPA community when such procedures are being 

used within an agency.
OSAC Standards Bulletin 3 April 2018

New Standards

This new standard is eligible for consideration by the OSAC:

ASTM International E30.12 Digital Evidence & Multimedia:

• ASTM E3148 – 18, Standard Guide for Postmortem Facial Image Capture

OTHER NEWS

The Organization of Scientific Area Committees (OSAC) for Forensic Science through the National Institute of 

Standards and Technology (NIST) has an existing contract with ASTM International that gives 30,000 public 

criminal justice agencies free access to standards published under ASTM Technical Committee E30 on 

Forensic Science. This agreement applies to the following stakeholder groups:

• OSAC Members & Affiliates – approximately 750 individuals

• NIST and Federal/State/Local Crime Laboratories – approximately 412 laboratories

• Public Defenders Offices – approximately 6,000 offices

• Law Enforcement Agencies – approximately 18,000 offices

• Prosecutor Offices – approximately 3,000 offices

• Medical Examiner/Coroners Offices – approximately 3,000 offices