OSAC Standards Bulletin 1 July 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: 3 Items

OSAC REGISTRY NEWS

New Approved Standards on OSAC Registry

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

Approved for the OSAC Registry (Materials Trace Subcommittee, June 18, 2018)

ASTM E1610-18: Standard Guide for Forensic Paint Analysis and Comparison was Approved for the 

OSAC Registry (Materials Trace Subcommittee, June 13, 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.

ASTM E2329-17 Standard Practice for Identification of Seized Drugs moved to the Standards in the 

Appeals Phase.

OSAC Draft Standards Submitted to Standards Developing Organizations (SDOs) 

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

Facial Identification Subcommittee

The following draft standards were submitted to ASTM E30.12 Digital and Multimedia Evidence:

• WK58704, Facial Image Comparison Feature List for Morphological Analysis 

Materials (Trace) Subcommittee

The following draft standards were submitted to ASTM E30.01 Criminalistics:

• E1967-2011A, Test Method for the Automated Determination of Refractive Index of Glass 

Samples using the Oil Immersion Method and a Phase Contrast Microscope

OSAC Standards Bulletin

July 2018
OSAC Standards Bulletin 2 July 2018

• E2330-2012, Test Method for Determination of Concentrations of Elements in Glass Samples 

Using Inductively Coupled Plasma-Mass Spectrometry (ICP-MS) for Forensic Comparisons

• WK56743, Practice for Training in the Forensic Examination of Human Hair by Microscopy

• Revision of E2224-2010, Guide for Forensic Analysis of Fibers by Infrared Spectroscopy

• Revision of E2225-2010, Guide for Forensic Examination of Fabrics and Cordage

• Revision of E2228-2010, Guide for Microscopical Examination of Textile Fibers

STANDARDS DEVELOPING ORGANIZATION (SDO) NEWS

Comment Period Open on Draft Documents 

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

Re-circulation – ASB Best Practice Recommendation 037, Guidelines for Opinions and Testimony in 

Forensic Toxicology, First Edition (Comment deadline, August 6, 2018)

ASB Standard 038, Standard for Internal Validation of Forensic DNA Testing Methods, First 

Edition (Comment deadline, August 6, 2018)

ASB Best Practice Recommendation 006, Best Practices Recommendations for DNA Analysis for 

Human Identification in Mass Fatality Incidents, First Edition (Comment Deadline, August 13, 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) Academy Standards Board (ASB):

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

June 15, 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 080-201x, Standard for Training to Perform Forensic DNA Reporting and Review 

(new standard)

This standard provides the minimum training requirements for analysts: (1) Preparing forensic 

DNA reports and/or notifications, and (2) performing technical and/or administrative reviews on 

forensic DNA case records and reports.

• Project Initiation Notification System (PINS) was published on page 14, in ANSI Standards Action on 

July 6, 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 065-201x, Standard Test Method for Function and Operability Testing of Firearms 

(new standard) This document provides standard test procedures for conducting function 

testing including operability testing of a firearm by a forensic firearm and toolmark examiner or 

technician. This standard includes the preliminary examination of firearms, up to test firing.

ASTM International E30.12 Digital and Multimedia Evidence:

• ASTM WK58704, Facial Image Comparison Feature List for Morphological Analysis

• ASTM WK63874, Standard Terminology for Digital and Multimedia Evidence Examination is a work item 

revision to existing standard E2916-13

• ASTM WK63926, Guide for Repair and Recovery of Damaged Audio Media
OSAC Standards Bulletin 3 July 2018

New Standards

These new standards are eligible for consideration by the OSAC:

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

• ANSI/ASB Standard 017, Standard Practices for Measurement Traceability in Forensic Toxicology. The 

standard defines the minimum requirements for establishing measurement traceability in forensic 

toxicology laboratories.

ASTM E30 Forensic Sciences

• E1732:18 Standard Terminology Relating to Forensic Science

• E2881:18 Standard Test Method for Extraction and Derivatization of Vegetable Oils and Fats from Fire 

Debris and Liquid Samples with Analysis by Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry

• E3016:18 Standard Guide for Establishing Confidence in Digital and Multimedia Evidence Forensic

Results by Error Mitigation Analysis (revised with title change.) This update incorporated changes 

recommended by the statisticians at OSAC and better integrates with the broader digital multimedia 

evidence community.

OTHER NEWS

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

The AAFS Standards Board (ASB) is pleased to announce the publication of ANSI/ASB Standard 017, 

Standard Practices for Measurement Traceability in Forensic Toxicology. The standard defines the 

minimum requirements for establishing measurement traceability in forensic toxicology laboratories.

The standard establishes traceability of a measurement to ensure confidence and reliability in forensic 

toxicological test results. It was developed by the Toxicology Subcommittee of the Organizational 

Scientific Area Committee for Forensic Science and was prepared and finalized as an American National 

Standard by the Toxicology Consensus Body of the ASB.

This and all ASB documents are available for download in the Published Documents portion of the ASB 

website. (www.aafs.org).