OSAC Standards Bulletin 1 August 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: 1 Items

OSAC REGISTRY NEWS

New Approved Standards on OSAC Registry

ASTM E2329-17: Standard Practice for the Identification of Seized Drugs was Approved for the 

OSAC Registry (Seized Drugs, July 20, 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:

Biological Data Interpretation and Reporting

The following draft standards were submitted to American Academy of Forensic Sciences (AAFS) 

Academy Standards Board (ASB): 

• Assigning Propositions for Likelihood Ratios

• Best Practice Recommendations for Validation of Forensic DNA Software

• Standards for Forensic DNA Interpretation and Comparison Protocols

OSAC Standards Bulletin

August 2018
OSAC Standards Bulletin 2 August 2018

Firearms and Toolmarks

The following draft standards were submitted to American Academy of Forensic Sciences (AAFS) 

Academy Standards Board (ASB):

• Minimum Education Requirements for Firearm and Toolmark Examiner Trainees

Footwear and Tire

The following draft standards were submitted to American Academy of Forensic Sciences (AAFS) 

Academy Standards Board (ASB):

• Standard for Footwear/Tire Examination Proficiency Testing Program

Friction Ridge

The following draft standards were submitted to American Academy of Forensic Sciences (AAFS)

Academy Standards Board (ASB):

• Standard for Friction Ridge Examination Conclusions

STANDARDS DEVELOPING ORGANIZATION (SDO) NEWS

Comment Period Open on Draft Documents 

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

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

Human Identification in Mass Fatality Incidents, First Edition. (Comment deadline is 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) Standards Board (ASB):

• Project Initiation Notification System (PINS) was published on page 15, in ANSI Standards Action on 

July 20, 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 STD 095-201x, Standard for Minimum Qualifications and Training for a Footwear/Tire 

Forensic Science Service Provider (new standard.) This standard describes the minimum 

qualifications and training for a Footwear/Tire Forensic Science Service Provider (FSSP) with 

little to

no experience or previous training. This standard outlines what topics should be covered in a 

training program and is not intended to be the sole source of training material.

• Project Initiation Notification System (PINS) was published on page 74, in ANSI Standards Action on 

July 27, 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 063-201x, Implementation of 3D Technologies in Forensic Firearm and 

Toolmark Comparison Laboratories (new standard.) This document provides requirements for 
OSAC Standards Bulletin 3 August 2018

the proper implementation of 3D technologies (software and/or hardware)/technical 

procedure(s) required in a forensic toolmark laboratory. This standard includes requirements for 

setting up the physical environment for the instrumentation as well as requirements for 

instrument calibration and validation.

BSR/ASB STD 093-201x, Standard Test Method for the Examination and Testing of Firearms 

(new standard.) This document establishes standard procedures for the examination and testing 

of a firearm by firearm and toolmark examiners or technicians. Following these procedures, an 

examiner or technician will be able to conduct, document, and report the examination and 

testing of a firearm.

BSR/ASB STD 096-201x, Standard Test Method for the Examination and Testing of 

Ammunition (new standard.) This standard provides procedures for the examination and testing 

of ammunition and/or ammunition components by firearm and toolmark examiners or

technicians. Following these procedures, an examiner or technician will be able to conduct, 

document, and report the examination of ammunition and/or ammunition components

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

August 3, 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 074-201x, Agriculture Detection - Canine Training, Certification, and Document 

Management Standards (new standard.) This standard contains requirements for the 

development of training of canine handlers and canines and will also detail the canine team 

assessments and the basis for certification procedures including record keeping and document 

management. This standard addresses the canine odor detection discipline of agricultural 

substances which entails canine teams (canine handlers and canines) trained to search for 

agricultural products (e.g., fruits, vegetables, and meats).

BSR/ASB STD 078-201x, Standard for Training of Forensic Autosomal and Y STR Data 

Interpretation (new standard.) This standard defines the minimum requirements that shall be 

met in a forensic DNA analyst training program for autosomal and Y STR data interpretation. 

This standard excludes sequencing.

BSR/ASB STD 079-201x, Standard for Training of the Combined DNA Index System (new 

standard.) This standard defines the minimum requirements that shall be met in a forensic DNA 

analyst training program for CODIS (Combined DNA Index System). This document excludes 

training for CODIS administrators.

BSR/ASB STD 094-201x, Postmortem Fingerprint Recovery: Guidance and Best Practices for 

Disaster Victim Identification (new standard.) This document provides guidance on, and 

highlights challenges associated with, obtaining postmortem prints from decedents and/or 

human remains in morgue operations associated with mass fatality disaster incidents.

ASTM International E30.01 Criminalistics: 

ASTM WK64631 New Guide for A Systematic Approach to the Analysis and Identification of 

Ignitable Liquids

ASTM WK64632 New Practice for A Forensic Paint Analysis Training Program

ASTM WK64633 New Practice for A Forensic Tape Analysis Training Program
OSAC Standards Bulletin 4 August 2018

OTHER NEWS

United Kingdom Forensic Science Regulatory (UKFSR)

The Forensic Science Regulator released the following:

DNA mixture interpretation, FSR-G-222 31 July 2018

Software validation for DNA mixture interpretation, FSR-G-223 31 July 2018