The royal commission into the home insulation scheme will focus on how the Rudd government may have contributed to the deaths of four men.

Matthew Fuller, Rueben Barnes, Mitchell Sweeney and Marcus Wilson all died while working on the rollout of the home insulation scheme set up in 2009.

The first public hearing of the royal commission into the Rudd government's home insulation scheme, which was linked to the deaths, has begun in Brisbane.

The royal commission is investigating whether the deaths of the tradesmen could have been avoided.

The $2.5 billion scheme, which was implemented as part of the former government's stimulus package in the wake of the global financial crisis, was also linked to hundreds of house fires.

The royal commission will inquire into whether the former government was given any advice, warnings or recommendations about the program and how they were identified, assessed and managed.

It will also consider the effects the program had on the community, families and long-standing home insulation businesses.

Brisbane lawyer Ian Hanger QC has been appointed the commissioner of the inquiry.

"I will have a particular focus on the way in which the government identified, assessed and managed workplace health and safety risks, and whether the government had sufficient regard for those risks in developing and implementing the home insulation program," he said.

"I'll can consider the impact of the program on pre-existing home insulation businesses and consider the relationship between government agencies in managing and coordinating responses to risk.

"My aim is to find answers to the questions unresolved in previous inquiries. Put simply, what really went wrong."

Commissioner Hanger has until the end of June to prepare a report that takes into account the findings of previous coronial inquests and other inquiries into the scheme.

He will also able to recommend changes to laws, policies and procedures in an effort to prevent it from happening again.

Father 'wants to know why warnings were not heeded'

Sorry, this video has expired Lawyer Bill Potts discusses the aims of the royal commission.

Lawyer Bill Potts is representing the family of Mr Barnes, 16, who died while installing insulation near Rockhampton in 2009.

Mr Potts says his client hopes the royal commission will provide answers to some lingering questions.

"Murray Barnes, who was Rueben's father, knows what killed his son," he said.

"What he wants to know is the whys. Why were decisions made? Why were warnings not heeded?

"And why it is that on Christmas Day, there'll be an empty place at his table where a much-loved son in the prime of his life will no longer be."

Matthew Fuller's father Kevin Fuller says previous inquiries and inquests left questions unanswered.

"I think today's hearing set the scene for what will be a challenging time for the families but hopefully, and all we've always wanted, is for the truth - the whole truth - to come out, changes to be made so no-one else goes through what we've been through," he said.

Earlier this year Queensland coroner Michael Barnes found three of the workers had not been given adequate training.

Mr Barnes also criticised the previous federal government for rushing through the program in a bid to stimulate the economy.

The coroner stated there were "inadequate safeguards" and "process failings" relating to the handling of the scheme by federal agencies.