oSIST prEN ISO 21043-2:2026
(Main)Forensic sciences - Part 2: General requirements for the forensic process, and the recovery and management of items (ISO/DIS 21043-2:2026)
- Abstract
This document specifies requirements for the forensic process focusing on recognition, recording, collection, transport and storage of items of potential forensic value. It includes requirements for the assessment and examination of scenes but is also applicable to activities that occur within the facility. This document also includes quality requirements.
This document is not applicable to procedures for the recovery of data from digital storage media which is covered by ISO/IEC 27037. However, the storage medium itself can yield additional items of forensic value (e.g. fingerprints or DNA).
Annex D shows the applicability of this document to the forensic process.
- Status
- Not Published
- Public Enquiry End Date
- 24-Dec-2026
- Technical Committee
- I13 - Imaginarni 13
- Current Stage
- 4020 - Public enquire (PE) (Adopted Project)
- Start Date
- 26-Oct-2026
- Due Date
- 15-Mar-2027
oSIST prEN ISO 21043-2:2026 is the CEN draft European standard for forensic sciences on the general requirements for the forensic process and for the recovery and management of items of potential forensic value. It is intended for forensic service providers and scene personnel who need to preserve items, maintain chain of custody, and manage work both at scenes and inside a facility.
What does oSIST prEN ISO 21043-2:2026 specify?
oSIST prEN ISO 21043-2:2026 specifies general requirements and recommendations for the forensic process, with emphasis on recognition, recording, collection, transport, storage, and control of items. It applies across the forensic process, both at a scene and within a facility, and it also includes quality requirements.
The document is organized into:
- Clause 4 - general requirements for the forensic process
- Clause 5 - initial response at scenes
- Clause 6 - examination of scenes
- Annex A - health and safety considerations
- Annex B - contamination risk reduction
- Annex C - guidance to first responders
oSIST prEN ISO 21043-2:2026 does not apply to the recovery of digital data from storage media; that activity is covered by ISO/IEC 27037. The storage medium itself can still be treated as an item of forensic value when it may carry fingermarks, DNA, or similar evidence.
What are the key requirements of oSIST prEN ISO 21043-2:2026?
oSIST prEN ISO 21043-2:2026 requires the forensic service provider to work from documented policies and procedures that cover responsibility, authority, training, chain of custody, methods, quality control, record control, document control, corrective action, and use of external providers. In practice, this means the organization must be able to show how work is controlled and who is accountable for each step.
Clause 4.2 requires customer requests to be recorded and considered when planning the examination strategy. If the request is unclear, incomplete, or rejected, the customer is to be consulted and the outcome recorded. This matters because the requested work has to be aligned with the case need before items are handled or tests are started.
Clause 4.3 requires documented policies for impartiality and confidentiality, plus a procedure to identify and reduce impartiality risks. The forensic process is to be designed to reduce cognitive bias and the influence of non-task-relevant information, and examiners are to consider alternative explanations where relevant. In practice, this supports unbiased work and protects the integrity of opinions.
Clause 4.4 requires health and safety risk assessments and actions to reduce identified risks. Relevant risks should be recorded and taken into account when developing the examination strategy. This is important because scene work can involve hazards that affect both personnel safety and evidence preservation.
Clause 4.5 requires roles, responsibilities, education, training, experience, and competence to be defined and documented. Personnel, including external providers, must be competent for their assigned tasks, and competence must be demonstrated, recorded, and maintained through ongoing education and training. For a buyer or manager, this means the service must be able to prove that staff can do the work they are assigned.
Clauses 4.6 and 4.7 require suitable equipment, consumables, and facilities. Equipment and consumables that can materially affect the reliability of observations or opinions need documented use procedures, checks before first use and on a schedule, and records of maintenance, calibration, and performance checks. Facilities need secure storage, controlled access, contamination reduction measures, and environmental conditions suitable for the work.
Clause 4.8 sets out the core requirements for recording, collection, packaging, labelling, transport, storage, and retention or disposal of items. Records must be made in context and with enough detail to support later reporting or review, and items must remain traceable throughout the entire forensic process. This is the clause that most directly protects chain of custody and the later usability of evidence.
Clauses 5 and 6 cover scene response and scene examination. The standard requires the provider to guide first responders, assess scene conditions and safety, plan the examination, use appropriate search and enhancement methods, and check the scene before release. In practice, this means the scene is to be handled in a structured way that preserves evidence and supports a coherent reconstruction of events.
What terms does oSIST prEN ISO 21043-2:2026 define?
oSIST prEN ISO 21043-2:2026 uses the vocabulary of ISO 21043-1, and the following terms are central to the document:
- Forensic service provider - the organization that carries out or manages the forensic process and is responsible for the required policies, procedures, competence, and records.
- Chain of custody - the traceable record of how an item is collected, handled, transferred, stored, and returned or disposed of.
- Customer request - the service request that has to be recorded and considered when planning the examination strategy.
- Impartiality - the condition of reducing bias so that personnel and their conclusions are not improperly influenced by task-irrelevant information.
- Contamination - unwanted transfer or change that can affect the integrity, value, or later examination of an item.
- First responder - the person who first secures and preserves the scene before forensic personnel take over.
- Scene - the location and surrounding context where items are encountered, protected, recorded, and examined.
Who uses oSIST prEN ISO 21043-2:2026?
oSIST prEN ISO 21043-2:2026 is used by forensic service providers, forensic examiners, scene technicians, quality managers, and laboratory managers. It is also relevant to first responders, law enforcement personnel working with scenes, and personnel who package, transport, store, or examine items.
The document is especially useful in forensic science services, criminal investigation work, and laboratory-based forensic operations. Buyers and procurement teams can also use it when selecting equipment, consumables, or service providers, because it sets expectations for competence, handling, records, and facility control.
What changed in oSIST prEN ISO 21043-2:2026 from the previous edition?
oSIST prEN ISO 21043-2:2026 cancels and replaces ISO 21043-2:2018. The foreword states these main changes:
- terminology and phrasing were harmonized with the other four parts in the ISO 21043 series;
- recommendation and requirements related to impartiality and confidentiality were added;
- reporting was removed from this part because ISO 21043-5 was published;
- the informative annex on applicability to the forensic process was removed.
Which standards are used with oSIST prEN ISO 21043-2:2026?
oSIST prEN ISO 21043-2:2026 uses ISO 21043-1 as its normative reference for vocabulary. It also sits within the wider ISO 21043 series and is linked to the following standards:
- ISO/IEC 27037 - covers identification, collection, acquisition, and preservation of digital evidence; it applies where the work involves digital data recovery from storage media.
- ISO 21043-3 - provides guidance on customer requests, performance monitoring, calibration, performance checks, and metrological traceability.
- ISO 21043-4 - is the interpretation part of the series and supports the interpretation side of the forensic process.
- ISO 21043-5 - covers reporting, which this part no longer includes.
- ISO 21043-1 - provides the terms and definitions used throughout the series.
What does the oSIST prEN ISO 21043-2:2026 document contain?
oSIST prEN ISO 21043-2:2026 contains procedures and requirements for planning, controlling, and recording forensic work from scene to facility. Clause 4 sets the management requirements, including competence, impartiality, confidentiality, safety, equipment, facilities, and item control.
Clause 5 gives scene-response guidance, including how to brief the response, secure the scene, and review what has already happened at the location. Clause 6 covers scene assessment, strategy, search and enhancement methods, and release of the scene after work is complete.
Annex A summarizes scene hazards and the role of personal protective equipment. Annex B lists practical ways to reduce contamination risk between people, items, personnel, and scenes. Annex C gives a stepwise approach for first responders, including safety, scene security, logging, observation, and handover.
Relations
- Effective Date
- 20-Dec-2023
Frequently Asked Questions
oSIST prEN ISO 21043-2:2026 is a draft published by the Slovenian Institute for Standardization (SIST). Its full title is "Forensic sciences - Part 2: General requirements for the forensic process, and the recovery and management of items (ISO/DIS 21043-2:2026)". This standard covers: This document specifies requirements for the forensic process focusing on recognition, recording, collection, transport and storage of items of potential forensic value. It includes requirements for the assessment and examination of scenes but is also applicable to activities that occur within the facility. This document also includes quality requirements. This document is not applicable to procedures for the recovery of data from digital storage media which is covered by ISO/IEC 27037. However, the storage medium itself can yield additional items of forensic value (e.g. fingerprints or DNA). Annex D shows the applicability of this document to the forensic process.
This document specifies requirements for the forensic process focusing on recognition, recording, collection, transport and storage of items of potential forensic value. It includes requirements for the assessment and examination of scenes but is also applicable to activities that occur within the facility. This document also includes quality requirements. This document is not applicable to procedures for the recovery of data from digital storage media which is covered by ISO/IEC 27037. However, the storage medium itself can yield additional items of forensic value (e.g. fingerprints or DNA). Annex D shows the applicability of this document to the forensic process.
oSIST prEN ISO 21043-2:2026 is classified under the following ICS (International Classification for Standards) categories: 07.140 - Forensic science. The ICS classification helps identify the subject area and facilitates finding related standards.
oSIST prEN ISO 21043-2:2026 has the following relationships with other standards: It is inter standard links to SIST EN ISO 21043-2:2020. Understanding these relationships helps ensure you are using the most current and applicable version of the standard.
oSIST prEN ISO 21043-2:2026 is available in PDF format for immediate download after purchase. The document can be added to your cart and obtained through the secure checkout process. Digital delivery ensures instant access to the complete standard document.
Standards Content (Sample)
SLOVENSKI STANDARD
01-december-2026
Forenzične znanosti - 2. del: Splošne zahteve za forenzični postopek ter
pridobivanje in ravnanje z dokaznimi predmeti (ISO/DIS 21043-2:2026)
Forensic sciences - Part 2: General requirements for the forensic process, and the
recovery and management of items (ISO/DIS 21043-2:2026)
Forensik - Teil 2: Allgemeine Anforderungen an den forensischen Prozess sowie an die
Sicherstellung und Handhabung von Asservaten (ISO/DIS 21043-2:2026)
Criminalistique - Partie 2: Exigences générales relatives au processus de criminalistique,
à la collecte et à la gestion des traces et autres éléments d'intérêt (ISO/DIS 21043-
2:2026)
Ta slovenski standard je istoveten z: prEN ISO 21043-2
ICS:
07.140 Forenzika Forensic science
2003-01.Slovenski inštitut za standardizacijo. Razmnoževanje celote ali delov tega standarda ni dovoljeno.
DRAFT
International
Standard
ISO/DIS 21043-2
ISO/TC 272
Forensic sciences —
Secretariat: SA
Part 2:
Voting begins on:
General requirements for the 2026-10-08
forensic process, and the recovery
Voting terminates on:
2026-12-31
and management of items
Criminalistique —
Partie 2: Exigences générales relatives au processus de
criminalistique, à la collecte et à la gestion des traces et autres
éléments d'intérêt
ICS: 07.140
THIS DOCUMENT IS A DRAFT CIRCULATED
FOR COMMENTS AND APPROVAL. IT
IS THEREFORE SUBJECT TO CHANGE
AND MAY NOT BE REFERRED TO AS AN
INTERNATIONAL STANDARD UNTIL
PUBLISHED AS SUCH.
This document has not been edited by the ISO Central Secretariat.
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Reference number
ISO/DIS 21043-2:2026(en)
DRAFT
ISO/DIS 21043-2:2026(en)
International
Standard
ISO/DIS 21043-2
ISO/TC 272
Forensic sciences —
Secretariat: SA
Part 2:
Voting begins on:
General requirements for the
forensic process, and the recovery
Voting terminates on:
and management of items
Criminalistique —
Partie 2: Exigences générales relatives au processus de
criminalistique, à la collecte et à la gestion des traces et autres
éléments d'intérêt
ICS: 07.140
THIS DOCUMENT IS A DRAFT CIRCULATED
FOR COMMENTS AND APPROVAL. IT
IS THEREFORE SUBJECT TO CHANGE
AND MAY NOT BE REFERRED TO AS AN
INTERNATIONAL STANDARD UNTIL
PUBLISHED AS SUCH.
This document has not been edited by the ISO Central Secretariat.
IN ADDITION TO THEIR EVALUATION AS
BEING ACCEPTABLE FOR INDUSTRIAL,
© ISO 2026
TECHNOLOGICAL, COMMERCIAL AND
USER PURPOSES, DRAFT INTERNATIONAL
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Published in Switzerland Reference number
ISO/DIS 21043-2:2026(en)
ii
ISO/DIS 21043-2:2026(en)
Contents Page
Foreword .iv
Introduction .v
1 Scope . 1
2 Normative references . 1
3 Terms and definitions . 1
4 General requirements for the forensic process . 2
4.1 General .2
4.2 Customer requests .2
4.3 Impartiality and confidentiality .2
4.4 Health and safety . .3
4.5 Personnel .3
4.6 Equipment and consumables .3
4.7 Facilities .4
4.8 Recording, Item handling and control .4
4.8.1 General .4
4.8.2 Recording .5
4.8.3 Collecting .5
4.8.4 Packaging .5
4.8.5 Labelling and chain of custody .6
4.8.6 Item transport and storage .6
5 Initial response at scenes . 6
5.1 First response .6
5.2 Forensic response .7
6 Examination of scenes . . 7
6.1 General .7
6.2 Assessing a scene . .8
6.3 Scene examination strategy .8
6.4 Detection, screening and enhancement techniques .8
6.5 Review and release of a scene .8
Annex A (informative) Health and safety considerations . 10
Annex B (informative) Contamination risk reduction .11
Annex C (informative) Provision of guidance to first responders .12
Bibliography .13
iii
ISO/DIS 21043-2:2026(en)
Foreword
ISO (the International Organization for Standardization) is a worldwide federation of national standards
bodies (ISO member bodies). The work of preparing International Standards is normally carried out through
ISO technical committees. Each member body interested in a subject for which a technical committee
has been established has the right to be represented on that committee. International organizations,
governmental and non-governmental, in liaison with ISO, also take part in the work. ISO collaborates closely
with the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) on all matters of electrotechnical standardization.
The procedures used to develop this document and those intended for its further maintenance are described
in the ISO/IEC Directives, Part 1. In particular, the different approval criteria needed for the different types
of ISO documents should be noted. This document was drafted in accordance with the editorial rules of the
ISO/IEC Directives, Part 2 (see www.iso.org/directives).
ISO draws attention to the possibility that the implementation of this document may involve the use of (a)
patent(s). ISO takes no position concerning the evidence, validity or applicability of any claimed patent
rights in respect thereof. As of the date of publication of this document, ISO had not received notice of (a)
patent(s) which may be required to implement this document. However, implementers are cautioned that
this may not represent the latest information, which may be obtained from the patent database available at
www.iso.org/patents. ISO shall not be held responsible for identifying any or all such patent rights.
Any trade name used in this document is information given for the convenience of users and does not
constitute an endorsement.
For an explanation of the voluntary nature of standards, the meaning of ISO specific terms and expressions
related to conformity assessment, as well as information about ISO's adherence to the World Trade
Organization (WTO) principles in the Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT), see www.iso.org/iso/foreword.html.
This document was prepared by Technical Committee ISO/TC 272, Forensic sciences, in collaboration with the
European Committee for Standardization (CEN) Technical Committee CEN/TC 419, Forensic science services,
in accordance with the Agreement on technical cooperation between ISO and CEN (Vienna Agreement).
A list of all parts in the ISO 21043 series can be found on the ISO website.
This second edition of ISO 21043-2 cancels and replaces ISO 21043-2:2018. The main changes compared to
the previous edition are as follows:
— terminology and phrasing were harmonized with the other four parts in the ISO 21043 series;
— a recommendation and requirements related to impartiality and confidentiality were added;
[4]
— “reporting” has been removed from this document due to the publication of ISO 21043-5
— an informative annex “Applicability of ISO 21043-2 to the forensic process” has been removed.
Any feedback or questions on this document should be directed to the user’s national standards body. A
complete listing of these bodies can be found at www.iso.org/members.html.
iv
ISO/DIS 21043-2:2026(en)
Introduction
This document is part of a series that includes the different components of the forensic process from scene
to courtroom. Other parts of the ISO 21043 series are:
— ISO 21043-1;
— ISO 21043-3;
— ISO 21043-4;
— ISO 21043-5.
Annexes A, B and C are given for information only.
v
DRAFT International Standard ISO/DIS 21043-2:2026(en)
Forensic sciences —
Part 2:
General requirements for the forensic process, and the
recovery and management of items
1 Scope
This document specifies general requirements and recommendations for the operation of the forensic
service provider. These apply throughout the forensic process, both at a scene and within a facility. This
document also contains requirements and provides recommendations for the recovery and management of
items.
These requirements and recommendations are designed to ensure that:
— items are preserved;
— personnel are competent;
— equipment and consumables are suitable;
— health and safety risks are mitigated.
This document is applicable to all areas of expertise of forensic science; however, it is not applicable to the
[1]
recovery of digital data, which is covered by ISO/IEC 27037. The storage medium itself can yield additional
items (e.g. fingermarks or DNA) which would be covered by this document.
2 Normative references
The following documents are referred to in the text in such a way that some or all of their content constitutes
requirements of this document. For dated references, only the edition cited applies. For undated references,
the latest edition of the referenced document (including any amendments) applies.
ISO 21043-1, Forensic sciences — Part 1: Vocabulary
3 Terms and definitions
For the purposes of this document, the terms and definitions given in ISO 21043-1 apply.
ISO and IEC maintain terminological databases for use in standardization at the following addresses:
— ISO Online browsing platform: available at https:// www .iso .org/ obp
— IEC Electropedia: available at https:// www .electropedia .org/
ISO/DIS 21043-2:2026(en)
4 General requirements for the forensic process
4.1 General
The forensic service provider shall have documented policies or procedures for:
a) responsibility, authority and role of personnel;
b) education and training requirements to ensure competence of personnel (see also 4. 5);
c) handling and control of items, including maintaining the chain of custody;
d) methods for recovery, analysis and interpretation;
e) quality control measures;
f) record control including record retention periods;
g) document control;
h) monitoring and recording conformance with policies and procedures;
i) identifying, recording and evaluating quality incidents;
j) undertaking and recording corrective actions;
k) reviewing the effectiveness of any corrective action taken;
l) using external service providers.
The forensic service provider shall implement and make readily available to relevant personnel the
documented policies and procedures required throughout this document, if applicable to the services
provided.
4.2 Customer requests
The customer’s request for service shall be recorded and shall be considered when developing the
examination strategy.
In instances where the request is rejected, the reason for the rejection shall be made available to the
customer and the records should be retained.
The forensic service provider shall consult with the customer when the request is not complete, clear, logical
or relevant.
The forensic service provider should record the outcome of the consultation.
[2]
NOTE 1 See ISO 21043-3 for guidance on addressing the customer’s request.
4.3 Impartiality and confidentiality
The forensic service provider shall have documented policies regarding impartiality and confidentiality for
its personnel and activities.
The forensic service provider shall have a documented procedure to identify risks to impartiality of
personnel. Information obtained that potentially impacts the impartiality of personnel involved in the
forensic process shall be recorded. The forensic service provider shall have a documented procedure
designed to reduce the risk to impartiality. The actions taken shall be recorded.
The forensic process shall be designed to mitigate the risk of cognitive bias, and to limit the influence of
information that is not task-relevant.
Where applicable, in the forensic process, examiners shall consider alternative explanations or propositions.
ISO/DIS 21043-2:2026(en)
The forensic service provider shall maintain the confidentiality of information obtained from the customer
and from the examination.
4.4 Health and safety
Health and safety risk assessments shall be undertaken with appropriate actions to mitigate relevant risks.
Identified relevant risks should be recorded and taken into consideration, especially during the development
of the examination strategy.
NOTE 1 Further information regarding potential risks and appropriate precautions are respectively included in
Annex A and clauses 5.2 and 6.3.
4.5 Personnel
Roles and responsibilities of personnel shall be defined and documented. The requirements for education,
training and experience, and
...