# COMAR Title 10 — Maryland Department of Health

## Subtitle 51 — Forensic Laboratories

### Chapter 06 — Employees

#### Regulation .13 Technical Leader — Responsibilities.

*COMAR 10.51.06.13*

A. Authority. A licensee may authorize a technical leader to initiate, suspend, and resume a forensic analysis or forensic analyses operations for:

  (1) The laboratory, if assigned to the technical leader;

  (2) The forensic analysis section or unit of the laboratory assigned to the technical leader; or

  (3) An individual in the technical leader’s assigned forensic analysis section or unit of the laboratory.

B. A technical leader shall be responsible for:

  (1) Selection of the test method, in concert with the laboratory director, that is appropriate, depending on the type of evidence, for forensic use and for reporting forensic analysis results;

  (2) Validation of each forensic analysis procedure performed;

  (3) Establishing the forensic laboratory’s forensic analysis performance specifications, including:

    (a) Precision;

    (b) Accuracy; and

    (c) Uncertainty of measurement, where applicable;

  (4) Maintaining instrument records for:

    (a) Calibration;

    (b) Validation; and

    (c) Maintenance;

  (5) Ensuring that:

    (a) The performance levels established in §B of this regulation are maintained throughout the entire forensic analysis process:

      (i) From initial receipt of the sample or specimen;

      (ii) Through testing and examination; and

      (iii) Through reporting of the forensic analysis results; and

    (b) Forensic analysis results are not reported until all corrective actions have been taken and the forensic analysis system is functioning properly;

  (6) Resolving technical problems and ensuring that remedial actions are taken whenever a forensic analysis procedure or system deviates from the forensic laboratory’s established performance specifications; and

  (7) Re-evaluating employee performance, before reporting forensic analysis results, to include the use of a new test method or instrumentation when a forensic analysis method or instrumentation changes.