OSAC Standards Bulletin – January 2021

1

 January 2021

This Standards Bulletin from the Organization of Scientific Area Committees (OSAC) for Forensic 

Science provides an update on:

• Standards moving through the OSAC Registry approval process.

• Standards moving through the development process at standards developing 

organizations (SDOs).

Standards under consideration for the OSAC Registry and open for comment: 8

Documents recently published by an SDO: 1

SDO documents open for comment: 13

OSAC REGISTRY UPDATES

The OSAC Registry is a repository of high-quality, technically sound published 

and proposed standards for forensic science. These written documents define 

minimum requirements, best practices, standard protocols and other guidance 

to help ensure that the results of forensic analysis are reliable and 

reproducible.
OSAC Standards Bulletin – January 2021

2

Standards Under Consideration for the OSAC Registry

SDO Published Standards Open for Comment

The following SDO published standards are being considered for the OSAC Registry. Please 

submit your comments by 11:59 p.m. ET on February 5, 2021 on whether they should be 

included on the Registry:

Biology/DNA

• ANSI/ASB Standard 023, Standard for Training in Forensic DNA Isolation and Purification 

Methods, First Edition, 2020. Submit your comments here.

• ANSI/ASB Standard 110, Standards for Training in Forensic Serological Methods, First 

Edition, 2020. Submit your comments here.

• ANSI/ASB Standard 115, Standard for Training in Forensic Short Tandem Repeat Typing 

Methods using Amplification, DNA Separation, and Allele Detection, First Edition, 2020. 

Submit your comments here.

• ANSI/ASB Standard 116, Standard for Training in Forensic DNA Quantification Methods,

First Edition, 2020. Submit your comments here.

Fire Debris

• ASTM E3197-20 Standard Terminology Relating to Examination of Fire Debris. Submit 

your comments here.

• ASTM E3245-20 Standard Guide for Systematic Approach to the Extraction, Analysis, and 

Classification of Ignitable Liquids and Ignitable Liquid Residues in Fire Debris Samples. 

Submit your comments here.

Firearms & Toolmarks

• ANSI/ASB Standard 068, Best Practice Recommendation for the Safe Handling of 

Firearms and Ammunition, First Edition, 2020. Submit your comments here.

Gunshot Residue

• ASTM E1588-20 Standard Practice for Gunshot Residue Analysis by Scanning Electron 

Microscopy/Energy Dispersive X-Ray Spectrometry. Submit your comments here.
OSAC Standards Bulletin – January 2021

3

Criminal justice agencies can access the ASTM standards listed above by visiting OSAC’s Access 

to Standards webpage.

For a list of all standards currently under Registry consideration, please visit the OSAC website. 

SDO UPDATES

Documents Recently Published by an SDO

The following document has been recently reaffirmed by the American 

Dental Association (ADA):

•ANSI/ADA Standard 1058-2010 (R2020), Forensic Dental Data Set. This 

document, initially drafted by OSAC’s Odontology Subcommittee, provides 

uniform nomenclature for the description of forensic dental data and 

defines a standardized set of uniform terms to convey this information

(reaffirmation of ANSI/ADA Standard 1058-2010 (R2015).

SDO Documents Open for Comment

ASB:

• Recirculation* – ASB Standard 061, Firearms and Toolmarks 3D Measurement Systems 

and Measurement Quality Control, First Edition. This document provides requirements 

for the measurement systems (the instruments and included scan acquisition software) 

which capture data beyond a flat 2D photographic image for Firearm and Toolmark 

Analysis (these systems are referred to as 3D systems in this document). This standard

provides requirements to ensure the instrument’s accuracy, to conduct instrument 

calibration, and to estimate measurement uncertainty for each axis (X, Y, and Z). 

Included in the standard are procedures for validation of 3D system hardware. The focus 

of this standard is on the hardware and resulting measurement data and does not 

Has your organization already started implementing OSAC Registry approved standards? 

Complete OSAC’s Laboratory Implementation Declaration Form and send it 

to mark.stolorow@nist.gov to let us know. OSAC will award your organization with an OSAC 

Standards Implementer Certificate.

Share your implementation experience and be featured in a future OSAC news post.
OSAC Standards Bulletin – January 2021

4

include the requirements for measurement systems software. Comment deadline 

January 14, 2021.

• Recirculation* – ASB Standard 098, Standard for Mass Spectral Data Acceptance in 

Forensic Toxicology, First Edition. 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 toxicology, human performance toxicology (e.g., 

drug-facilitated crimes and driving-under-the-influence of alcohol or drugs), nonregulated employment drug testing, court-ordered toxicology (e.g., probation and 

parole, drug courts, child services), and general forensic toxicology (non-lethal 

poisonings or intoxications). The document provides minimum requirements for 

acquiring data on single- or multiple-stage mass spectrometers using low- or highresolution 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.

Comment deadline January 18, 2021.

• Recirculation* – ASB Standard 113, Standard for Identification Criteria in Forensic 

Toxicology, First Edition. This document sets minimum criteria, based on a point system, 

for the identification of an analyte during forensic toxicology testing. The document 

provides a mechanism for laboratories to evaluate each analytical technique to 

determine if their testing regimen is sufficient to meet or exceed the minimum points 

required for identification. This document does not address identification of alcohols, 

carbon monoxide, cyanide, or metals. Comment deadline January 18, 2021.

• ASB Standard 139, Reporting DNA Conclusions, First Edition. This standard contains the 

reporting requirements for autosomal STR and haplotype DNA conclusions for results 

obtained from evidentiary samples in forensic casework and does not apply to paternity 

or any other biological relatedness conclusions. This standard only addresses the 

requirements for providing DNA conclusions in the report. Comment deadline January 

18, 2021.

• Recirculation* – ASB Best Practice Recommendation 060, Guidelines for Barrel and 

Overall Length Measurements of Firearms, First Edition. This document provides 

guidelines for measuring and reporting barrel length and overall length (BL-OL) of 

firearms, including guidelines for measurement traceability and estimating uncertainty 

of BL-OL measurements. This document does not apply to descriptive measurements of 

firearms. Comment deadline January 25, 2021.
OSAC Standards Bulletin – January 2021

5

• ASB Best Practice Recommendation 107, Best Practice Recommendation for Measuring 

Trigger Pull of a Firearm and Estimating Its Uncertainty, First Edition. This document 

provides procedures for trigger pull measurements and for estimating uncertainties 

associated with trigger pull measurements. Comment deadline January 25, 2021.

• ASB Best Practice Recommendation 142, Best Practice Recommendations for the 

Resolution of Conflicts in Friction Ridge Examination, First Edition. This document 

provides the best practice recommendations for how to resolve conflicts between 

examiners at any point during the technical review or verification process of conflicting 

suitability decisions, conflicting source conclusions, and documentation of conflict 

resolution. This document does not address differences of opinion that occur at the 

consultation level or any organizational response once an error is discovered or the 

conflict(s) is(are) resolved. Comment deadline January 25, 2021.

• ASB Best Practice Recommendation 143, Best Practice Recommendations for Technical 

Review in Friction Ridge Examination, First Edition. This document provides best practice 

recommendations for how to perform technical reviews of friction ridge impression

examinations. The document provides general guidance on technical reviews best 

practices including a check list and sample review forms. This document does not 

address administrative review, verification, or testimony monitoring. Comment

deadline January 25, 2021.

• ASB Best Practice Recommendation 144, Best Practice Recommendations for the 

Verification Component in Friction Ridge Examination, First Edition. This document 

provides best practice recommendations for how to conduct the verification phase 

during friction ridge impression examinations. These recommendations apply to both 

suitability determinations and resulting conclusions addressing verification 

considerations (e.g., extent, utility, case type, approach), types of verification and 

application options, and documentation. This document does not address technical 

review. Comment deadline January 25, 2021.

• Recirculation* – ASB Standard 119, Standard for the Analytical Scope and Sensitivity of 

Forensic Toxicological Testing of Blood in Medicolegal Death Investigations, First Edition. 

This document delineates the minimum requirements for target analytes and analytical 

sensitivity for the forensic toxicological testing of blood specimens collected in 

medicolegal death investigations. This document does not cover the analysis of urine, 

tissues, or other specimens that are commonly analyzed in medicolegal death 

investigations. Comment deadline February 1, 2021.

• Recirculation* – ASB Standard 121, Standard for the Analytical Scope and Sensitivity of 

Forensic Toxicological Testing of Urine in Drug-Facilitated Crime Investigations, First 

Edition. This document delineates the minimum requirements for target analytes and 

analytical sensitivity for the forensic toxicological testing of urine specimens collected 

from alleged victims of drug-facilitated crimes (DFC). This document does not cover the 
OSAC Standards Bulletin – January 2021

6

analysis of blood and other evidence that may be collected in DFC cases. Comment 

deadline February 1, 2021.

• ASB Standard 149, Standard for Taphonomic Observations in Support of the Postmortem 

Interval, First Edition. This standard provides requirements for describing and analyzing 

the taphonomic effects on human remains and associated evidence that can be 

observed in the laboratory as well as in the field. Also, it provides requirements for 

recording and reporting the taphonomic and contextual indicators that contribute to 

estimating the postmortem interval in sufficient detail to allow for independent 

interpretation, replication, and verification of conclusions drawn. Comment deadline 

February 1, 2021. 

• ASB Standard 158, Standard for a Developing Standard Operating Procedures in 

Bloodstain Pattern Analysis, First Edition. This standard provides guidance on the 

development of Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) that are a component of the

quality assurance program for Bloodstain Pattern Analysis. The standard specifies SOP 

requirements for equipment, materials, reagents, calculations, documenting limitations, 

safety, and the generation of reports. The standard is applicable to scene, laboratory, 

and remote examinations. Comment deadline February 1, 2021. 

*Comments on a recirculation will only be accepted on revised sections of a document; comments made 

to text not revised from the original comment period will not be accepted.

Work Proposals for New or Revised Standards

The following documents are being initiated and are expected to result in a new or revised 

standard.

ASB:

• On December 4, 2020 a Project Initiation Notification System (PINS) was published on 

page 2 in the ANSI Standards Action. This will begin a 30-day period for public comment 

on the initiation of ASB’s work on the following document:

o BSR/ASB Std 154-202x, Standard for Training on Testimony for Forensic Biology. 

This document provides minimum training program requirements for forensic 

biology practitioners on scientific and legal principles necessary to testify.

For the ASB documents listed above, download the comment template and return it to

asb@aafs.org by the comment deadline. 
OSAC Standards Bulletin – January 2021

7

OTHER NEWS 

Webinar: Biology/DNA Standards and Best Practices

Developed by OSAC and ASB – Part 4

Join OSAC, ASB and Promega on Wednesday, January 20, 2021 at 12

p.m. EST for a webinar about ANSI/ASB Standard 018, Standard for

Validation of Probabilistic Genotyping Systems, First Edition 2020.

Register here to learn:

• How this document was conceived, written and developed into a published standard

• The key points covered by the standard

• How to implement the standard in a forensic science laboratory

This is the fourth webinar in the series providing information on new/emerging standards and

best practice recommendations for forensic biology and DNA testing laboratories. Click the links

below to view the three other webinars in this series:

• DNA Standards and Best Practices Developed by OSAC and ASB. Part 1: The Process.

• DNA Standards and Best Practices Developed by OSAC and ASB. Part 2: Mixture

Interpretation Validation, and Protocol Development and Verification.

• DNA Standards and Best Practices Developed by OSAC and ASB. Part 3: Training

Standards Overview.

CSAFE’s December 2020 Newsletter

Our colleagues at The Center for Statistics and

Applications in Forensic Evidence (CSAFE) published their

December 2020 Newsletter. Check it out to access the two

CSAFE Center Wide Webinars, Crime Lab Proficiency

Testing and Quality Management and Mock Juror

Perceptions of Forensics, as well as to look back at the

other CSAFE highlights from 2020.

Get Involved with OSAC

OSAC offers a variety of ways for members, affiliates and other experts in the forensic science 

community to participate in the standards advancement process. Click here to learn how you 

can help make an impact on the forensic science community through standards.