OSAC Standards Bulletin – May 2020 1

 

 May 2020 

BULLETIN SUMMARY 

The Organization of Scientific Area Committees (OSAC) for Forensic Science Standards Bulletin provides an 

update on forensic science standards that are moving through the Registry Approval Process at OSAC and those 

moving through the development process at standards developing organizations (SDOs).

This bulletin is organized to capture the following standard development phases in the OSAC Registry Approval 

and SDO processes:

• After being published by an SDO, selected standards and guidelines may proceed to the OSAC Registry 

Approval Process where they are evaluated further for technical merit and impact on the forensic 

science community.

• In the SDO process, OSAC committees or task groups submit an idea (i.e., work item), a partially drafted 

document, or a fully drafted document to an SDO for further development, commenting, and publishing. 

Number of New Standards Placed on the OSAC Registry: Two (2)

Number of OSAC Registry Documents Open for Comment: Six (6)

Number of SDO Documents Open for Comment: Seventeen (17) 

OSAC REGISTRY UPDATES

The OSAC Registry serves as a repository of scientifically sound forensic science standards

that address discipline-specific forensic science needs. A document included on the 

Registry has progressed through the formal SDO process and has been published as a 

standard. OSAC elevates standards to the OSAC Registry as an endorsement of the 

document’s high quality and to encourage its use by relevant stakeholders in the forensic 

science community.
OSAC Standards Bulletin – May 2020 2

New Documents on the OSAC Registry 

OSAC has added the following standards to the Registry:

• ANSI/ASB Standard 020, Standard for Validation Studies of DNA Mixtures, and Development and 

Verification of a Laboratory’s Mixture Interpretation Protocol, First Edition, 2018 (Biological Data 

Interpretation & Reporting Subcommittee, effective May 12, 2020).

• ANSI/ASB Standard 040, Standard for Forensic DNA Interpretation and Comparison Protocols, First Edition, 

2019 (Biological Data Interpretation & Reporting Subcommittee, effective May 12, 2020).

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

Please submit your comments by 11:59 p.m. ET on June 13, 2020 on whether the following standards should be 

included on the OSAC Registry.

• ANSI/ASB Standard 106, Wildlife Forensics – Protein Serology Method for Taxonomic Identification, First 

Edition, 2020. Submit your comments here.

• ASTM E2916-19e1 Standards Terminology for Digital and Multimedia Evidence Examination. Submit your 

comments here.

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

Results by Error Mitigation Analysis. Submit your comments here.

• ASTM E3017-19 Standard Practice for Examining Magnetic Card Readers. Submit your comments here. 

• ASTM E3046-15 Standard Guide for Core Competencies for Mobile Phone Forensics. Submit your 

comments here.

• ASTM E3150-18 Standard Guide for Forensic Audio Laboratory Setup and Maintenance. Submit your 

comments here.

In the Comment Adjudication Phase 

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

Edition, 2019. 

In the Appeals Phase 

• None currently.

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

Has your organization already started implementing OSAC Registry Approved Standards? 

Complete OSAC’s Laboratory Implementation Declaration Form and sent it 

to mark.stolorow@nist.gov to let us know. 

Share your implementation experience and be featured in a future OSAC news post.
OSAC Standards Bulletin – May 2020 3

SDO UPDATES

Comment Period Open on Draft Documents 

ASTM International: 

• New Terminology for the Examination of Explosives (WK56998). This is a compilation of terms and 

corresponding definitions related to the analysis of explosives. Ballot closes May 17, 2020. 

• Revision of E1588-17 Standard Practice for Gunshot Residue Analysis by Scanning Electron 

Microscopy/Energy Dispersive X-Ray Spectrometry (WK70036). This practice covers the analysis of gunshot 

residue by scanning electron microscopy/energy dispersive X-ray spectrometry. Ballot closes May 17, 

2020. 

• Revision of E1843-16 Guide for Sexual Assault Investigation, Examination, and Evidence Collection

(WK65720). This guide outlines the basic components for the development of sexual violence 

investigation protocols, with specific attention to the examination of sexual violence scenes, victims and 

suspects of sexual violence, the recovery of testimonial, physical, and behavioral evidence, and the 

preservation and custody of physical evidence. Ballot closes May 17, 2020.

• Revision of E2123-16 Standard Practice for Transmittal of Evidence in Sexual Assault Investigation

(WK70378). This practice describes the basic considerations that will help preserve different items or 

types of sexual violence related evidence for subsequent analysis. Ballot closes May 17, 2020. 

• Revision of E2124-15 Standard Practice for Specification for Equipment and Supplies in Sexual Assault 

Investigations (WK70377). This specification describes the basic instruments used for the medical-legal 

examination of victims or suspects, or both, in sexual assault investigations. Ballot closes May 17, 2020.

• Guide for Standard Guide for Crime Scene Photography (WK69872). This document is intended to be a 

general guide outlining best practices for all practitioners of crime scene photography. This includes 

professionals whose job is specifically limited to photography and those who may only encounter the 

need to photograph a crime scene occasionally. Ballot closes May 20, 2020. 

• New Practice for Training in the Forensic Examination of Gunshot Residue (GSR) using Scanning Electron 

Microscopy/Energy Dispersive X-Ray Spectrometry (SEM/EDS) (WK58457). This standard practice is 

intended to facilitate the development and implementation of training programs in crime laboratories 

or other such analytical entities that participate in the detection, analysis, and classification of primer 

GSR particles. Ballot closes May 27, 2020. 

• New Practice for Assessment of Gas Chromatography and Electron Ionization Mass Spectrometry Data 

During the Qualitative Analysis of Seized Drugs (WK65067). This standard describes procedures to 

evaluate gas chromatography (GC) and electron ionization mass spectrometry (EI-MS) data generated 

during the qualitative analysis of seized drugs. It also includes a framework for establishing acceptance 

criteria for GC and EI-MS data comparisons. Ballot closes May 27, 2020.
OSAC Standards Bulletin – May 2020 4

• New Practice for Standard Practice for Reporting Report Writing of Forensic Primer Gunshot Residue (pGSR) 

Analysis by Scanning Electron Microscopy/Energy Dispersive X-Ray Spectrometry (SEM/EDS) (WK69622). 

This standard practice covers the scope of information to be contained in formal, written, technical 

reports that express the opinion of the scientific or technical expert with respect to pGSR analysis by 

SEM/EDS. Ballot closes May 27, 2020.

• New Guide for Forensic Examination and Comparison of Pressure Sensitive Tapes (WK71337). This guide is 

intended as an introduction to other standard guides for the forensic examination of pressure sensitive 

adhesive tape. It aims to assist individuals who conduct forensic tape analyses in their evaluation, 

selection, and application of tests that can be of value to their examinations. Ballot closes May 27, 2020.

• New Practice for Standard Practice for Expert Opinions on the Interpretation of Primer Gunshot Residue 

(pGSR) Analysis by Scanning Electron Microscopy/Energy Dispersive X-Ray Spectrometry (WK72526). This 

document applies to persons who present expert opinions regarding primer gunshot residue analysis 

results. This document defines the range of opinions that are based upon the existence of a body of 

published scientific literature. Ballot closes May 27, 2020.

• New Guide for The Development of Electron Ionization-Mass Spectral Libraries for the Analysis of Seized 

Drugs (WK72630). This guide describes minimum criteria for the development of electron ionizationmass spectral libraries. Ballot closes May 27, 2020.

• New Guide for the Microscopical Examination of Human Hair (WK72597). This document is intended to 

assist individuals and laboratories by providing standards for the microscopical examination of human 

hair for the classification and comparison of samples. Ballot closes May 27, 2020.

• New Guide for Intralaboratory Blind Quality Control Programs for Seized-Drug Analysis (WK72638). This 

document provides guidelines to develop and implement a blind intralaboratory comparison quality 

control (BQC) program for seized drug analysis. Ballot closes May 27, 2020.

• Revision of E2227-13 Standard Guide for Forensic Examination of Non-Reactive Dyes in Textile Fibers by 

Thin-Layer Chromatography (WK58028). Thin-Layer Chromatography (TLC) is an inexpensive, simple, and 

well-documented technique that, under certain conditions, can be used to complement the use of 

comparison microscopy and visible spectroscopy microspectrophotometry (MSP) in comparisons of 

fiber colorants. TLC can provide information regarding individual dye components present in dyed fibers 

that cannot be obtained through other color analyses (such as MSP). Ballot closes May 27, 2020.

• Revision of E2451-13 Standard Practice for Preserving Ignitable Liquids and Ignitable Liquid Residue 

Extracts from Fire Debris Samples (WK58027). This standard covers procedures for the preservation of 

ignitable liquids and ignitable liquid residue extracts obtained from fire debris samples and questioned 

ignitable liquid samples. Ballot closes May 27, 2020. 

• Revision of E2809-13 Standard Guide for Using Scanning Electron Microscopy/X-Ray Spectrometry in 

Forensic Paint Examinations (WK57479). This standard guide is intended to assist in analyses of forensic 

polymer samples (e.g., tape, paint) by scanning electron microscopy and energy dispersive X-ray 

spectroscopy. It is intended to be applied within the scope of a broader analytical scheme for the 

forensic analysis of a polymer sample. Ballot closes May 27, 2020.
OSAC Standards Bulletin – May 2020 5

 

 

 

 

 

New Work Proposals for New or Revised Standards 

The following document is being initiated and is expected to result in a new or revised standard. 

ASB: 

• On April 17, 2020 a Project Initiation Notification System (PINS) was published on page 18 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 140-202x, Standard for Training in Forensic Human Mitochondrial DNA Analysis, 

Interpretation, Statistical Evaluation, and Reporting. This document provides the requirements 

for a forensic DNA laboratory’s training program in forensic human mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) 

analysis, interpretation, statistical evaluation, and reporting.

OTHER NEWS 

Help Evaluate OSAC’s Materials (Trace) Draft Document, Standard Practice for 

Interpretation and Report Writing in Forensic Comparison of Trace Materials 

In preparation for submitting a document to ASTM for formal standards development, OSAC’s Materials (Trace)

Subcommittee will be conducting an interlaboratory data collection exercise to evaluate the draft

of its Standard Practice for Interpretation and Report Writing in Forensic Comparison of Trace Materials.

The focus of the first round of this study will be on forensic paint analysis. Please be on the lookout for

an announcement regarding a web-based training session introducing participants to the draft document and

exercise, which is expected to begin this summer. We encourage you to share this information with your

colleagues and visit the Materials (Trace) Subcommittee webpage to start reviewing the document now, with

particular attention to Sections 1-5 and 9.

If you have questions or would like to participate in the exercise, please contact Andria Mehltretter

at ahmehltretter@fbi.gov.

For access to the ASTM documents listed above, contact Brian Milewski (bmilewski@astm.org) to 

become a member of Committee E30 on Forensic Science. 
OSAC Standards Bulletin – May 2020 6

Call for Members: New ASB Crime Scene Investigation Consensus Body 

ASB is forming a new Crime Scene Investigation Consensus Body. If you’re interested in participating, please 

apply by May 29, 2020 using the on-line application form. Members will be selected by the Board of Directors of 

the ASB. Please send any additional questions to tambrosius@aafs.org. 

Funding Available for Standards Curricula Development 

OSAC encourages stakeholders to apply to NIST’s FY2020 Standards Services Curricula Development 

Cooperative Agreement Program. This program awards funding to eligible applicants to develop undergraduate 

or graduate level curricula to incorporate documentary standards, standards development, and 

standardization information and content into seminars, modules, courses, and learning resources. Applications 

must be submitted through grants.gov no later than 11:59 p.m. ET on June 15, 2020.