OSAC Standards Bulletin 1 September 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: 0 Items

SDO Documents open for comment: 5 Items

OSAC REGISTRY NEWS

New Approved Standards on OSAC Registry

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

Examinations was Approved for the OSAC Registry (Materials Trace Subcommittee, September 11, 

2018)

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.

No standards have progressed through the Registry Approval Process this month.

OSAC Draft Standards Submitted to Standards Developing Organizations (SDOs) 

OSAC developed the following draft standards and has submitted them to SDOs for formal development:

No standards have been submitted to Standards Developing Organizations (SDOs) this month. 

STANDARDS DEVELOPING ORGANIZATION (SDO) NEWS

Comment Period Open on Draft Documents 

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

OSAC Standards Bulletin

September 2018
OSAC Standards Bulletin 2 September 2018

ASB Standard 032, Standards for a Bloodstain Pattern Analyst’s Training Program, First Edition 

(Comment Deadline, September 24, 2018)

ASB Standard 046, Wildlife Forensics Validation Standards—STR Analysis, First Edition (Comment 

Deadline, September 24, 2018)

ASB Standard 047, Wildlife Forensics Validation Standard—Validating New Primers for Sequencing, 

First Edition (Comment Deadline, September 24, 2018)

ASB Standard 048, Wildlife Forensic DNA Standard Procedures, First Edition (Comment Deadline, 

September 24, 2018)

ASB Standard 072, Standard for the Validation of Procedures in Bloodstain Pattern Analysis, First 

Edition (Comment Deadline, September 24, 2018)

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

Board website to view the draft document and to provide comments. Please send any questions 

to asb@aafs.org.

New Work Proposals for New or Revised Standards

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

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

August 10, 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 Std 104-201x, Standard for 3D Virtual Comparison Microscopy for Firearm and 

Toolmark Analysis (new standard) intended to ensure proper acquisition, application, and

interpretation of 3D microscopic measurements within the discipline of firearm and toolmark 

examination. The Standard applies to all visual toolmark comparisons utilizing 3D surface 

topographymeasurements (Virtual Comparison Microscopy, VCM), but not to the comparison of 

2D images and it does not include algorithms providing comparison, similarity, or interpretation.

• Project Initiation Notification System (PINS) was published on page 17, in ANSI Standards Action on

August 17, 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 Std 058-201x, Standard Method for Blood Ethanol Identification and Quantitation in 

Forensic Toxicology Laboratories (new standard). This document establishes a procedure for 

the identification and quantitation of ethanol in blood samples. The standard method is 

intended for laboratories engaged in any of the following forensic toxicology subdisciplines: 

postmortem forensic toxicology, human performance toxicology (e.g., drug-facilitated crimes 

and driving-under-the-influence of ethanol or drugs), non-regulated employment drug testing, 

court-ordered toxicology (e.g., probation and parole, drug courts, child services), and general 

forensic toxicology (non-lethal poisonings or intoxications). It is not intended for the area of 

breath ethanol toxicology.

BSR/ASB Std 098-201x, Standard for Mass Spectral Data Acceptance in Forensic Toxicology 

(new standard). This document provides criteria for the acceptance of mass spectral analyses of 

small molecules (compounds with an atomic weight of less than 800 daltons) in laboratories 

conducting any of the following forensic toxicology subdisciplines: postmortem forensic 
OSAC Standards Bulletin 3 September 2018

toxicology, human performance toxicology (e.g., drug-facilitated crimes and driving-under-theinfluence of alcohol or drugs), non-regulated employment drug testing, court-ordered toxicology 

(e.g., probation and parole, drug courts, child services), and general forensic toxicology (nonlethal poisonings or intoxications). The document provides minimum requirements for acquiring 

data on single- or multiple-stage mass spectrometers using nominal or high-resolution mass 

spectrometers. It also provides instruction on the evaluation of mass spectral data when 

conducting acquisitions in full-scan mode, selected ion monitoring, multiple-stage analyses, or 

when using high-resolution mass analyzers. Criteria, requirements and instructions in this 

document are not intended for the area of breath alcohol toxicology. Further, it is not intended 

to address the use of matrix assisted laser desorption, inductively coupled plasma, or ion 

mobility mass spectrometry. It is also not intended to provide criteria for analyte identification 

in forensic toxicology laboratories.

• Project Initiation Notification System (PINS) was published on page 16, in ANSI Standards Action on 

August 24, 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 Std 041-201x, Assigning Propositions for Likelihood Ratios in Forensic DNA 

Interpretations (new standard). This standard provides the requirements for the assignment of 

propositions for the interpretation of DNA profiling evidence using likelihood ratios. It includes 

requirements regarding practical issues such as case file documentation, conditioning on 

profiles of assumed contributors, evaluating the weight of evidence for multiple individuals of 

interest, and assigning the number of contributors.

BSR/ASB Std 077-201x, Standard for the Developmental and Internal Validation of Forensic 

Serological Methods (new standard). This standard provides requirements for developmental 

and internal validations of forensic serological methods to evaluate body fluids, stains, or 

residues related to forensic investigations. This standard does not address validation of forensic 

DNA analysis procedures.

• Project Initiation Notification System (PINS) was published on page 22, in ANSI Standards Action on 

August 31, 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 Std 045-201x, Standard for Stature Estimation from Human Remains (new standard).

Stature is one of several biological parameters that can be estimated from skeletal remains or 

radiographic images of skeletal remains. This standard describes methods for estimating stature 

from skeletal elements when disarticulation has occurred rendering measured cadaver length 

unreliable. The methods in this standard are intended to provide a mathematically based 

systematic manner of estimating stature and documenting the stature estimation process.

BSR/ASB Std 090-201x, Standard for Sex Estimation in Forensic Anthropology (new standard).

This standard sets forth methods for estimating sex from adult skeletal elements obtained 

directly from skeletal remains or radiographic images of skeletal remains. The methods in this 

standard provide a morphologically based or mathematically based systematic manner for 

estimating sex, and for documenting the sex estimation process. This document does not 

include sex estimation in skeletal elements from subadults or through DNA analysis.

BSR/ASB Std 099-201x, Standard for Footwear/Tire Examination Proficiency Testing Program 

(new standard). This standard outlines the requirements for proficiency test providers and 

forensic science service providers (FSSP) for creating proficiency tests appropriate for use by a 

Footwear/Tire FSSP. The standard also provides recommendations for testing frequency. The 

guidance provided is primarily concerned with the discipline level content and the FSSP’s ability 

to perform work and not organizational compliance.
OSAC Standards Bulletin 4 September 2018

New or Revised Standards

International Organization for Standardization (ISO):

ISO 21043-1:2018 Forensic Sciences – Part 1: Terms and Definitions (New standard).

ISO 21043-2:2018 Forensic Sciences — Part 2: Recognition, Recording, Collecting, Transport and 

Storage of Items (New standard).

OTHER NEWS

ASTM Standard Access

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

For more information on freely accessible standards, please visit our Access to Standards page on the OSAC 

website.