OSAC Standards Bulletin - August 2025

National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) sent this bulletin at 08/05/2025 10:00 AM EDT

The OSAC Registry Implementation Open Enrollment event is happening now!

Join the 245+ OSAC Registry Implementers and participate in Open Enrollment by September 12 to help show the impact that standards have on the forensic science community.

August 2025

The Organization of Scientific Area Committees (OSAC) for Forensic Science's Standards Bulletin provides a monthly update on forensic science standards moving through the OSAC Registry approval process and development process at standards developing organizations (SDOs).

OSAC Registry Updates

There are no updates to the OSAC Registry this month. Visit the OSAC Registry to view the 230+ forensic science standards currently available.

Standards Open for Comment

Open for Comment at OSAC

There are no standards currently open for comment at OSAC.

Open for Comment at SDOs

The following SDOs are accepting public comments on documents:

The Academy Standards Board (ASB) has four documents open for public comment in the areas of forensic toxicology and crime scene investigation & reconstruction (comment deadlines August 11), forensic anthropology (comment deadline August 18) and bloodstain pattern analysis (comment deadline September 8).
ASTM has three standards open for comment in the area of trace evidence (comment deadline August 25).
The Scientific Working Group on Digital Evidence (SWGDE) has four documents open for comment until September 3.

Visit OSAC's Standards Open for Comment webpage to access these documents, as well as the instructions and deadlines for comment submissions.

SDO Updates

New Published Standards

The following standards have recently been published by an SDO.

ASB:

ANSI/ASB Standard 013, Standard for Friction Ridge Examination Conclusions, 2025, 1st Ed.
ANSI/ASB Standard 202, Standard for Interactions Between Medicolegal Death Investigation Authorities and Organ and Tissue Procurement Organizations and Eye Banks, 2025, 1st Ed.
- NOTE: This is the SDO published version of OSAC 2023-N-0004, Standard for Interactions Between Medical Examiner Coroner and All Other Medicolegal Death Investigation Agencies and Organ and Tissue Procurement Organizations and Eye Banks, currently on the OSAC Registry.
ASB Technical Report 208, Forensic Toxicology: Terms and Definitions, 2025, 1st Ed.
ANSI/ASB Standard 216, Standard for Construction of Multilocus Databases, 2025, 1st Ed.
- NOTE: This is the SDO published version of OSAC 2022-S-0011, Standard for Construction of Multilocus Databases, currently on the OSAC Registry.

ASTM:

ANSI/ASTM 1732-25, Standard Terminology Relating to Forensic Science (revision which includes an appendix of terms and definitions that have been deleted from E30 standards).
ANSI/ASTM 2926-25e1, Standard Test Method for Forensic Comparison of Glass Using Micro X-ray Fluorescence (u-XRF) Spectrometry.
- NOTE: This is a revision of ANSI/ASTM 2926-17, Standard Test Method for Forensic Comparison of Glass Using Micro X-ray Fluorescence (u-XRF) Spectrometry, currently on the OSAC Registry.
ANSI/ASTM E2997-25, Test Method for Analysis of Biodiesel Products by Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (revision of ANSI/ASTM E2997-16).
ANSI/ASTM E3462-25, Standard Guide for Interpretation and Reporting in Forensic Comparisons of Trace Materials (new standard).

Work Proposals for New or Revised Standards

A Project Initiation Notification System (PINS) was published in the July 4, 2025 ANSI Standards Action. This will begin ASB's work on the following:

ASB Standard 234, Standard for Qualifications for Forensic Anthropology Practitioners, 202x, 1st Ed. This standard provides the minimum qualifications and requirements for forensic anthropologists in professional practice, including education, training, experience, certification, ethics, and professionalism.
- NOTE: This is OSAC 2025-N-0002, Standard for Qualifications for Forensic Anthropology Practitioners, currently on the OSAC Registry.

A PINS was published in the July 11, 2025 ANSI Standards Action. This will begin ASB's work on the following:

ASB Standard 054, Standard for Quality Control Programs in Forensic Toxicology Laboratories, 202x, 2nd Ed. (revision of ANSI/ASB Std 054-2021). This document establishes minimum requirements for quality control practices in forensic toxicology laboratories. The document addresses the selection and handling of reference materials, preparation of calibrator and control samples, and requirements for their use in assays. The document also sets requirements for reviewing and monitoring quality control data. This standard applies to laboratories performing forensic toxicological testing in the following sub-disciplines: postmortem toxicology, human performance toxicology, non-regulated workplace drug testing, court-ordered toxicology testing, and general forensic toxicology. It does not apply to breath alcohol toxicology.
- NOTE: This is a revision of ANSI/ASB 054, Standard for a Quality Control Program in Forensic Toxicology Laboratories, 2021, 1st Ed., currently on the OSAC Registry.

Other Forensic Science Standards-Related News & Events

NIST Characterized Authentic Drug Samples Program

The Characterized Authentic Drug Samples (CADS) program is a new initiative at NIST that aims to provide well-characterized, authentic drug samples to practitioners and researchers to support research, development, and validation of analytical methods. The first panel of 24 unique, characterized samples has just been released and is now available for purchase through the NIST Store. The panel contains both traditional drugs as well as several more novel substances and drug mixtures. Materials are provided as ~10 mg aliquots. In order to receive samples, entities must have a valid DEA license and be able to receive Schedule I and Schedule II substances. For more information about this initiative, and future projects, visit the CADS project page, or email DrugID@nist.gov.

RaDAR Newsletter

NIST’s Rapid Drug Analysis and Research (RaDAR) lab provides near real-time insight into the nation’s illicit drug landscape. By analyzing drug samples sent from local, state, and federal partners, the lab identifies new compounds appearing in the illegal drug supply that may pose a health and safety threat to users, public health workers and law enforcement.

Check out the latest RaDAR newsletter to see the recent findings.

New Proposed Standard for Fiber Examination

Micrograph shows woven polyester mask fibers in diagonal pattern.

ASTM E30 is developing a proposed standard for fiber examination. This standard, originally drafted by OSAC’s Trace Materials Subcommittee and currently OSAC 2022-S-0019 on the OSAC Registry, will provide a consistent approach to fiber analysis among forensic science practitioners and researchers. Read more in this ASTM Standardization News article.

Call for ASTM E30 Members

ASTM Committee E30 on Forensic Sciences is looking for more participation in its standards activity. There was a major reorganization to increase the number of technical subcommittees that develop standards in specific disciplines.

The objectives of the reorganization include: increase membership participation by creating smaller, more focused discipline-specific groups; strengthen alignment of subcommittees with stakeholder organizations (e.g., OSAC) and enhance standards development by creating more efficient processes and better facilitating subcommittee engagement.

To increase the number of technical subcommittees, E30.01 Criminalistics was divided into several discipline-specific subcommittees to have jurisdiction over existing standards and work items in their respective discipline.

E30 Forensic Sciences consists of the following subcommittees, including these new ones*: